


Mysteries of the Deep

by Abby_Ebon



Category: H2O: Just Add Water, The Thirteenth Year (Disney)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mermaid, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-12
Updated: 2012-09-24
Packaged: 2017-11-09 20:01:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 21,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/457831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abby_Ebon/pseuds/Abby_Ebon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Thirteenth Year & H2O: Just Add Water. When "tourists" show up on Mako Island, Emma and Cleo glimpse something unbelievable – a mermaid with a merman – or, rather, triton - in the moon pool at the base of the islands dormant volcano.</p>
<p>Bringing in Louise Chatham is their only choice – as the girls learn more about Julia (who unlike Louise and Gracie, didn't give up her powers) they find she isn't as dead as they thought, despite that Rikki found her locket in a shop and the owner having claimed it to be from a "deceased estate". Life is about to get even more interesting in Gold Coast, Australia.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Silver Within Sea Foam

**Author's Note:**

> Timescale;  
> 1958 – Fifty years ago; when Julia Dove (red stone/Rikki) /Louise Chatham (white stone/Emma) /Gracie Watsford (blue stone/Cleo) got powers (Max Hamilton crafts three lockets with three “waves” at backs). Possibly sixteen at this time, making year of birth in 1942-range.  
> 1986 – 28 years later; when Cody (son of Julia, 44?) was found as baby.  
> 1999 – Events of “The Thirteenth Year” when Cody found out about his heritage.  
> 2008- Now; Cody 22, Jess 20, Cleo/Rikki/Emma 16. Miss Chatham/Julia are 66-ish.

The surface of the sea rippled, and if he hadn't been watching for the movement, he would have missed it. A smile curled his lips; absentmindedly he tilted his head catching the refection of light off the water with the lens of his glasses. They were thin framed, despite that his eyesight had only gotten worse over the years. At least he no longer feared the water – though he did hold a wary regard for it. That, at least, was normal.

A figure – still submerged – darkened the glimmering surface. A moment later - almost shyly, his best friend's features stared back at him. Cody had never been shy, and in the nine years since becoming a merman – or, as he preferred, a triton, that hadn't really changed. As if to prove so, his tail, set with cloudy silver scales lined with glimmering blue, splashed against the surface as if in greeting.

"Jess," it was routine, these next words, but you wouldn't think so with the familiarity Cody gifted them with "you're awfully far from home." It was, Jess supposed, a safety phrase - this greeting of theirs. For all that the words were all too true – home, if they had ever really had one - was Mahone Bay in Nova Scotia, Canada – nowhere could be further then off the coast of Australia's Gold Coast with Mako Island in sight.

"Your home is the sea, is what I say." Jess quoted back, knowing he had a silly grin on his face and not inclined to be free from his oddly giddy mood. It was rare that they got a moment like this – where Cody was away from his mother's watchful gaze and Jess could relax away from the sort of people who'd question if his best friend had a fish tail and didn't happen to be a fish.

Cody laughed and melody – the emotion of relieved delight - seemed to fill the empty places in Jess' mind. It was relief – secret, reassuring, but a relief. Jess couldn't say for how long the boat bobbed on the surface while they laughed. Eventually though, by carefully keeping bland expressions and not looking each other exactly in the eye, they managed a moment of silence. The moment crept onwards, but it was Cody who shattered it.

"Funny, that is what _we_ say too." Cody murmured, his voice turned soft and hoarse, it was obvious that speaking aloud was something he had to get used to. Mental communication – hand gestures, body language – those were the forms of communication Cody used most often beneath the waves. It was that type of wordless communication that Jess tried hard to stretch across – for both their sakes.

"How is…she?" Jess dared to ask when the silence of water and wind threatened to engulf them – _she_ , they both knew – was Cody's mermaid mother.

"Alright, says we'll spend the summer here, at least give you the chance to finish up your degree before we move onwards again. She wants you to see this place on Mako Island, inside the volcano – we'll take you there later. Meanwhile…got any candy? – I'd kill for a bite." Cody asked not exactly kidding, Jess swallowed back the laugh that threatened and handed over the goodies. All of Cody's favorites at thirteen – and some he'd added over the nine years since his change; he was twenty-two now – though Jess was only twenty – but in some ways it was like time hadn't effected Cody, not like it had Jess. Cody was still innocent of most of the stuff adults hid, and while Jess envied that innocence – he was also determined to protect him all the same.

Cody moaned, softy, as he bit into a chocolate bar – it did…interesting…things to Jess, to hear that sort of sound from his best friend's throat. He glanced away, gaze skimming over sea water and sky, darting away to the island only a short distance away – he felt guilty for feeling the way he did about Cody. It was something he'd been hiding from his best friend since he'd woke up at fifteen from a wet dream about him… _them_.

"Thanks…. Jess – how's getting a job going?" Cody seemed nervous when he asked – oddly guilty, and Jess knew all too well why that was. Cody mistakenly thought he did what he had – followed them, out of friendship – it was that, make no mistake – but it was also…complicated. Jess shook his head, glancing bemused to Cody who passed the candy wrappers back up to him. Without hesitation he took them from the scaled palms and didn't give a second glance to the raised ridge – fin like – along his friend's forearms.

In the beginning he had been fascinated by them – but over the first few weeks he had learned how sensitive they were, physically – and that Cody still held himself at a distance because of the changes he had gone through with only Jess' poor guesses to guide them.

It was better now. Never the less, Cody often felt guilty for Jess' sake – he and his mother moved around so much it made things hard for Jess - always settling, trying to fit in – then having to move when Cody and his mother did. Cody wouldn't tell Jess so, but he was jealous of any "normal" friend Jess spoke of – even Sam who had been Cody's own one time girlfriend, with her name on Jess' lips made Cody feel slighted – possessive.

The first five years, Cody had finished high school with Jess – going away during the summer time with his mother so he could learn to control his power. It hadn't taken Jess long to decide he didn't like being left alone during the summer and to get himself a boat to follow them sometimes. Cody had treasured those times, for it was when he had learned what a real friend was.

Jess had entered collage, and Cody had felt alone – and when Jess had tried to include him – telling him about the people – his teachers, his peers – the girl he sat next to in lab who didn't blink at blood and the boy who fainted at the sight of it, and things like the knowledge he gained and books he was studying, was when he became the most jealous and possessive. Even now Jess was getting a degree – getting a job – getting settled into a temporary new job, a new life.

But Cody and his mother made sure Jess did alright – the sea held its own kind of wealth and when things were tight neither of them were squeamish about raiding treasure from sunken ships so that Jess would have enough money to eat and follow them at his leisure.

"Got one at the aquarium here, soon as they got my credits they asked for me right off." Cody wrinkled his nose, but Jess ignored it – it was natural he dislike the thought of captured creatures enclosed for the pleasure of people. At least Cody had stopped trying to "free" them. Cody understood now that it wasn't possible for the "wild" life to come back to the ocean once captured, for all that the parks and places claimed "rehabilitation" was the goal, in actuality the money and time invested made "letting go" of any creature a burden upon resources.

But that wasn't Jess' fault – and his friend did need a place to stay, food – equipment replaced or gotten new. It was part of life – and Cody was only glad Jess was _his_ friend, his companion. He wasn't about to let Jess forget _that_.

"Any thought to how long we're staying this time 'round?" Jess asked carefully, any negative feelings brushed aside – Cody frowned slightly, listening for his mother's response to his question.

"Mom says…this is… _home_." That, at least, was a surprise – she had never referred to anyplace as "home"; as Jess met Cody's eyes, he felt hope lighten his heart. It just might be, that after so long, they'd found a place to settle.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

"But I don't need a babysitter! I have Cleo!" Kim argued as her father, paying more attention to a fishing book then to her statement, walked by. Cleo snorted, her eyes narrowing the only sign she was listening, despite having a book beneath her nose. Teeth clenched, Kim did her best to ignore her "nice" big sister. Everyone thought Cleo was nice, it drove Kim mad.

"Cleo has a job Kim, and so do I – this summer you'll just have to get used to the idea of having someone else watching you for the weekdays." Her father stated, glancing up to give Cleo a fond smile before returning his gaze to Kim, who was – of course – pouting.

"But – it's summer, and I'm old enough to take care of myself!" Kim spat through clenched teeth, it wasn't like she was a baby – though she might as well be for all the responsibility they gave her. It was only because she had let that Charlotte girl into Cleo's room that was what all the "not being left alone" fuss started.

Kim had tried to turn that around by forcing Cleo to do the dishes she hadn't done in over a year – but that had backfired when Cleo had run away. That had scared Kim, Cleo had never done anything like that – and for a while she had thought Cleo might be seriously hurt or dead. Kim was really trying to give Cleo some slack; she didn't want to ever feel so…helpless, again. Still, one would think that Cleo would at least support her in the not needing a babysitter bit.

"Kim, I'm sure that's what you think – but what would you do if there was a fire?" Dad asked, raising an eyebrow. Kim rolled her eyes.

"Put it out." Enter sarcasm.

"See, it's that kind of attitude that really makes me question if you can be on your own for a day." Dad stated, and when she glanced (alright, glared) toward Cleo for support – or, or something, all she got was a confused look in return.

The doorbell rung and Kim – trying to prove she was, in fact, responsible – answered it. It was Emma Gilbert, one of Cleo's friends – and assuredly the most annoying. She was "miss perfect", good grades – good looks, great looking boyfriend. Speaking of boyfriend, he was right behind her – his name, Kim thought – was Ash.

He had given riding lessons to Elliot, Emma's little brother who she had once dated – and been dumped by - after Emma had nearly killed a horse by letting it nibble on some poison weeds, they had somehow gotten together. Kim didn't know the details, but she thought it might involve his managing the JuiceNet where Emma worked; Kim had been surprised that Emma got involved with him – after all, she had wanted the manager position for herself.

"It's Emma…and Ash." Kim favored Ash with a grin, and only got a half smile in response before he turned his attention to Emma and Cleo. Sometimes she felt they all had some big secret, once she had thought it was being a mermaid – but she'd been proven wrong, and felt silly and childish for it.

There was another ring at the doorbell, and Kim exhaled through her nose, reminding herself to keep her temper even as she answered the door. She blinked to see Miriam Kent at the door. Miriam was everything Kim wanted to be – popular, pretty, with boys at her beck and call, didn't hurt things that she didn't like Cleo.

"Dad…it's… Miriam." Kim dragged the name out, wondering if her father even knew who she was. It would be somewhat embarrassing if he didn't.

"Ah, let her in Kim – right on time Miriam. Kim – this is your 'sitter for this week. Now there are contact numbers beside the phone, use them only if you need to – Kim knows the rules, but just in case I've left a list on the fridge." Her dad told Miriam, for a minute Kim couldn't believe what she was hearing. Cleo and Emma looked blank, and Ash blinked, slowly.

"Thank you, Mr. Sertori, I'll be sure to take good care of Kim this summer." Miriam stated, smiling charmingly. Dad gave one last look to Cleo and her friends, ruffled Kim's hair, and left them there, perhaps unaware of the chaos he had caused in mere moments. Emma and Cleo looked between each other, and before Kim could say "bye ugly" they were gone, Ash trailing after.

Kim glanced to Miriam, who had settled herself onto the couch, and looked perfectly comfortable there. She picked up the remote control and changed the channel. Kim resisted frowning – it gave you wrinkles, but she did grind her teeth together in her annoyance. Then she remembered how Charlette had wanted into Cleo's room – maybe Miriam only wanted the same thing?

"What to see Cleo's room?" Kim asked, partly hoping that was the only reason Miriam had to babysit her.

"Why would I want to do that?" Miriam's nose wrinkled in distaste – her lip curling.

"Go to your room." Miriam ordered with a flip of a painted finger nail. Kim hated her. It was _war_. Stomping and plotting, she went.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

"There you guys are – ready to get going?" Lewis asks upon hearing their footsteps on the dock, looking up only once to give Cleo a warm smile upon setting sights on her. Cleo can't help but smile back, but when Emma presses her lips together, they don't seem to notice - while amused by their conduct - she's also worried, mostly about leaving Kim alone with Miriam, though Cleo seems unbothered by it.

"This morning was interesting." Ash tells the other boy as he climbs into the boat, when Lewis, brows drawn together in interest, looks to him, Ash can't help but smirk slightly. He had suspected that would get his attention.

"Oh-m?" Lewis asks, though he doesn't say a word – his curiosity can't be denied. Ash likes that about Lewis, though he'd be the first to admit that at times it can get them into more trouble then they went looking for.

"Miriam's babysitting Kim." Cleo announces, throwing a look at Ash. The look says clearly "he's mine, back off", Ash clears his throat, feeling awkward. He doesn't hold it against Cleo – she'd been possessive of Lewis since he dumped Charlotte, still, he's only trying to get along with the other guys.

"Really? I mean, uh – serious?" Lewis asks, unable to keep the grin off his face.

"Serious." Ash assures, not looking to Cleo as he helps Lewis, preparing to cast off. The girls won't be riding with them – as they are mermaids and can probably swim there faster then they can get there by boat, and for that he's grateful – he loves Emma, but Cleo's possessiveness is…tiring.

"Can I see?" Lewis asks, and Ash almost feels bad for the other guy, the note of pleading is so plain in his voice.

"Later, Lewis – right now, we need to get on our way to Mako Island." Ash tells him, somewhat more sternly then he likes.

"Oh, right – Mako Island…" Ash doesn't think it is just in his head that Lewis looks slightly disappointed. Waving to their boyfriends, Emma and Cleo glance around for watchers once – like they're about to cross the street - then they jump into the water – they've timed it that it only takes ten seconds for them to change into mermaids when they hit the water, but sometimes – Ash thinks it's getting longer.


	2. Spirals Of A Sea Shell

 

Beneath the surface of the ocean, many envisioned sprawling sands, alike an underwater beach. Cody often found he was grateful that those oh-so-knowing “many” were so wrong. The undersea was his home, and for all his life on land - for those first thirteen years – he had seen nothing that could match the beauty of the sea.

 

So the undersea was a precious secret, shared sparingly – and offered to few. For all its life giving wonder, the ocean frightened some – and caused others to thoughtlessly exploit it. Cody had seen his share of both versions. He was glad, though – to still have Jess, and through his best friend he had a glimpse of the world he had left.

 

Even so, he only missed it in the sense that it was a part of Jess’ life that he did not share.

 

“ _My son, come closer to the island, I have something I wish to share with you_.” His mother’s low tones echoed through his mind, faint as a whisper, though with enough strangeness in it that he knew it was not something “just imagined”. Cody knew as well that he must have gotten “that look”, for when his glance flickered upward to Jess – out of habit; Jess looked curious.

 

“Cody, what’s wrong?” Jess questioned, knowing that Cody’s mother would not have interrupted their time together unless it was something important.

 

“She…wants me to see something.” Cody answered Jess, even when his own thoughts on the matter were in turmoil. He could refuse – he knew that, but it was rare for his mother to interrupt his time with Jess.

 

Mermaids, Cody had learned in his first year – were possessive of what instinct told them was theirs. Jess was his. Cody’s mother had known that the moment she had seen Cody bring back the spark of life within Jess after his best friend had nearly died to save his mermaid mother from discovery.  

 

“You’d better go then – it’s probably something important – I’ll stay within sight of the shore, no worries.” Jess spoke, the curiosity was sparked within him – those dark eyes danced with the prospect of another mystery being laid out before him. For Jess it didn’t matter if he would never be able to share the secrets he knew – he was content with just the knowledge – and the confidence it showed they held in him.

 

“Admit it, Jess – you just want me to find out what she wants so I’ll tell you.” Cody teased his lighter blue eyes dancing with the mirth that came easily when he lingered close to Jess.

 

“True, true – but you don’t seem to mind that I’m using you.” Cody loved how Jess spoke – deep and throaty – some might call it mumbling, but it was like music. Music that did _interesting_ things to Cody and those _things_ were the only secret he kept from Jess.

 

“Never….” Cody was surprised at how bold he was when his next move was to reach up and flick a brown curl of Jess’ hair away from his nose. Jess gave him a nervous smile, unsure of his standing in this incident.

 

“Go on – go see what she wants – then come back to me, and tell me all about it.” Jess shifted on his heels, knees weakening even as he crouched. Cody had always been cautious to see that Jess was safely away from the edge of his boat before letting the undertow carry him out of sight. Jess didn’t know it – but Cody still worried that the sea would take his best friend from him, worried that he would one day get to Jess too late to save him.

 

That wasn’t to say Jess’ swimming hadn’t improved – it had, in leaps and bounds since he and his mother had started tutoring him – but sometimes Jess’ old terror of the water came back.

 

So Cody watched, a shadow under the surface, until he was reassured that Jess kept the old respectful distance from the sea – unhurried, Cody used his mind to follow the “echo” of his mothers. Colorful coral nearly hid the cavern from his sight – it was from within the cavern that he knew his mother had called for him.

 

 _“What…what is this place, Mother_?” Cody knew his mental “voice” wasn’t as developed as his mother liked. It came from being raised on land for thirteen year – even after nine years he was still better in vocalizations - once in a while he’d hum to himself, singing, Jess teasingly called it.

Sometimes he wished that day would never come – for it meant one of two things – Jess’ dying (which was a very real possibility for his mother was nearly sixty yet only looked thirty) or Jess abandoning humanity all together. Cody had wished for a third option, and it seemed he was about to get one if what he felt from his mother was not entirely wrong. 

 

“ _This is the birthplace of all mermaids and tritons – all of us were once human, then something…magical happened here. This is, perhaps – the answer we seek for_ his _sake_.” His mother told him, there was a rush of pleasure to her normally low “tone”. His mother’s mental presence was a lot like the undertow of the sea – useful, but deadly if it caught you unaware.

 

“ _How_ …?” Cody asked, for all he felt something _strange_ about the underwater cavern that had opened up to a surface pool within a subterranean opening – a opening that was right above the pool – it was clearly special, but he wasn’t so far gone to think it to be the answer to everything. Certainly, even if what his mother told him was true – and he had no reason to doubt her – there was still the question of if Jess would _want_ to change into what he and his mother was. 

 

No matter how much Cody wanted Jess to want this – it was his friend’s ultimate choice, not his.

 

“ _When the white moon reflects in this pool, three – and only three – girls may be changed into mermaids. But it the moon is black-faced, three young men may be changed. So, my son – you must see, there is hope. The black moon is soon approaching – we must ask Jess his choice, then find two others_ …” His mother’s voice was excited – alive – and Cody was as much terrified by her enthusiasm as he welcomed it. There could be no doubt – his mother approved of Jess, and had made that outright clear in this gesture, for without her, Cody knew he would never have found this place…

 

“ _Thank you…mother_ …” Cody blinked back tears – and it startled his mother he was so affected, she glided over the water to him, and held his cheek gently, thumbing the tear away.

 

“ _I would be a fool not to see how much he means to you – and I will not see you waste away when the answer is before us_ …” His mother paused suddenly, her eyes darting to the cavern entrance – narrowing those blue eyes so like his own, the only difference between them was her wheat colored hair, his was dark in the water, the once brown turned almost black.

 

“ _Someone is here my son, we must flee. Follow closely after me_.” His mother instructed, raising her silver and blue scaled palms above the surface of the water – he knew what she planned, when whoever it was surfaced, she would call upon lighting and blind those who dared enter while they lingered.

 

His heart pounding so loudly in his ears he thought their ‘guests’ would be forewarned by it, Cody waited. He felt when the water shifted around him – saw when the two surfaced – his mother gave an abrupt gesture and Cody was almost too stunned by the sight of two mermaids to shut his eyes – but he did.

 

Behind his lids light flared, and not waiting to feel the echo of his mothers mind guiding him through the water – Cody took off, twisting around the two mermaids before they could do more then blink away the dots from his mothers blinding light. 

 

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

 

“I think there’s going to be a change of plans about that picnic.” Ash murmured as he saw that in the distance a ship was anchored off Mako Island. Lewis took a moment to take in the sight; he frowned – which for those who knew of Lewis’ always laid back moods – was a bad sign.

 

“Think the girls are alight?” Lewis asked him, visibly somewhat ill at ease with the turn of events, Ash could not help but to remember the flip of an orange and yellow tail with envy before the girls had “torpedoed” at great speed in the direction of Mako. 

 

“Ought to be fine – but to be safe we’ll wait for a bit, if they’ve got news or need to get out of the water, it’ll be a tight fit – but we should make it back to the mainland alright.” Ash assured, it was the least he could do but it seemed to help Lewis ground himself the most. Such simple words to have such an effect meant something Ash did not want to look in the eye – even when it stared him in the face.

 

“Right, right…” Lewis allowed before he feel into the old habit of being a “busy body”, it was something Ash had always noticed when Lewis visited the JuiceNet – Lewis always had to be doing something, if it was playing with his computer – or with a straw, it was always something that either kept his mind distracted or his hands occupied. Not that Ash wanted Lewis to know the manager of the JuiceNet watched him when things slowed down.

 

It was something Ash enjoyed – but it never lasted long, something mundane always distracted him. Ash glanced up, something (perhaps the rush of oncoming water? – some sound?) alerting him to the two mermaids torpedoing their way.

 

“Here they come.” Ash spoke aloud so Lewis would not be taken unaware by their presence. Lewis’ eyes – a odd shade of hazel that mixed well with his red shirt – met his, Ash would have liked to think something passed between them – some bond, _something_ – but then Lewis only had eyes for the girls.

 

“What’s the rush?” Ash asked them, wondering if they knew how lucky they were to have someone like Lewis devoting his entire essence to their secret and to helping them along. Ash didn’t think so – Lewis was someone who wasn’t missed until he was needed and wasn’t at their beck and call.

 

“You won’t believe what we saw!” Cleo exclaimed lips stretching into a smile for Lewis. With her tanned skin and dark as night eyes, it was no wonder she had entangled Lewis’ attention since childhood. Or, at least – that’s what Emma had told him.

 

“What?” Lewis asked breathlessly, loose blond hair fluttering in the breeze. Ash knew Emma was watching him watch Lewis and wonder what was going on – she was brilliant like that, but Ash couldn’t bring himself to look away.   




 

“We saw a mermaid – only, she was old – like Miss Chatham old.” Emma added, her green eyes showing their delight with the prospect of learning more of their history, or at least of the history of those who had been mermaids before her and the other girls.

 

“She could summon lightning like Rikki – she used it as a defensive, she blinded us – isn’t that neat, Lewis?” Cleo asked though she clearly thought she already had him on her side.

 

“Yeah – but I thought she’d died – Julia, wasn’t that her name?” Lewis asked, Ash could do little else but listen, they had their own language when it came to this stuff and Ash knew it’d be a long while before he mastered an idea of what had happened over the last year that the girls had had their powers.

 

“That’s what Rikki said the guy behind the counter claimed – a deceased estate he called it. This means that Julia is still alive – _and_ still is a mermaid!” Emma exclaimed, grinning at Lewis then to Cleo. Her yellow hair flicked about her shoulders.

 

“But that’s not the most interesting part!” Cleo continued in a hushed secretive tone, her tail flickering beneath the surface of the water.

 

“There was a merman with her!” Emma finished- when she and Cleo exchanged a glance, was when Ash chanced to glance to take in Lewis’ expression, Ash wondered if he should be worried – for it was fear he saw.

 

“That’s…great.” Lewis stated, only it wasn’t – because Lewis was being too careful to not let his fear slip through the grinning mask he showed the girls so they would be content with their discovery.   





	3. Caught In A Too Shallow Tide Pool

“ _Someone is here my son, we must flee. Follow closely after me_.” His mother instructed, raising her silver and blue scaled palms above the surface of the water – he knew what she planned, when whoever it was surfaced, she would call upon lighting and blind those who dared enter while they lingered.

 

His heart pounding so loudly in his ears he thought their ‘guests’ would be forewarned by it, Cody waited. He felt when the water shifted around him – saw when the two surfaced – his mother gave an abrupt gesture and Cody was almost too stunned by the sight of two mermaids to shut his eyes – but he did.

 

Behind his lids light flared, and not waiting to feel the echo of his mothers mind guiding him through the water – Cody took off, twisting around the two mermaids before they could do more then blink away the dots from his mothers blinding light. 

 

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

 

In the distance, a small boat seemed headed toward the island. They might not have noticed Jess, or thought themselves safe at the distance that they were at. Jess knew something was going on when they arrived and making sure they could not see him clearly, he took the binoculars from the cabin and used them to watch the bobbing boat in the distance. They noticed him - that much was sure – but they thought his ship empty for it was anchored near the reef.

 

Jess swallowed drily when he thought he saw shadows moving beneath the glimmering surface of the water. He fretted over the thought that Cody and Julia might have gotten confused to where his boat – though it was a “sail ship” compared to this open vessel the strangers were in - was. He had never been in sight of another boat before when he had left the shore to follow them.

 

Tilting the binoculars toward the smaller boat he noticed one – the darker haired - of the two boys leaning toward the side, as if waiting. He spoke, and whatever it was caught the fair haired boy by surprise.

 

“Lewis…?” Jess muttered the name, seeing the blond look nervously toward his ship giving him a clear glimpse of his face through the lens. Jess had met Lewis at the aquarium, he seemed the nice sort – reminding himself of Jess when he had been younger – though perhaps Lewis was more sure of himself. Here knowledge did not seem to be scorned quite so much as when Jess had been growing up.

 

What he saw next worried him all the more, the shadows did indeed surface, human at the torso but with glinting gold and rich oranges scales below. They were mermaids, though not the ones Jess knew. Over the years Jess had gotten fairly good at lip reading, it was the only reason he knew what was being said – otherwise he would have been clueless.  

 

“You won’t believe what we saw… a mermaid – only, she was old… summon lightning… defensive, she blinded us…. thought she’d died – Julia, wasn’t that her name?… Julia is still alive – _and_ still is a mermaid… there was a merman with her…” Unaware he had muttered what he caught being said under his breath. Sick dread filled him, he couldn’t hold himself steady anymore – crouched as he was – he suck back against the chill metal cabin of the ship, he didn’t stir until he heard the small motor of the boat churn as it headed to the mainland.

 

Almost dazedly, Jess hoped the two mermaids had good instincts about who to trust, remembering all too clearly the madness his father had taken to having glimpsed a mermaid and been out casted for claiming it. Remembered with worry cold in his belly that Sean – who had been Cody’s best friend - had glimpsed the fins along his forearms that day the change had taken him completely, Jess had never told Cody but he still worried about Sean who had said nothing of what he had seen or thought.

 

Sam, who had been barely more then Cody’s crush, had found it the world too strange for her. While she still kept in contact – like Cody’s human parents – she was content to think the summers Cody and Jess had spent together had been a regular vacation, and when school had ended she only called up, seeming to reassure herself it was not a fantasy. 

 

‘ _Their still out there…. I have to wait…make sure they’re alright_.’ Jess told himself, trying to distract from the awful fear he had felt. He worried at what might have happened if the gold and orange tailed girls had caught Cody and Julia in their territory. They were young – but remembering the random burst of abilities Cody had shown – that did not mean they were unskilled or any less powerful. There had been two of them, after all, and Cody still relied for the most part on his mother to direct and protect him.

 

“Jess…?” A voice – Cody – hissed, and Jess stirred crawling in a way that was almost embarrassing to the edge of the ship where he could see Cody – worried and drawn, his normally sun darkened skin had blanched a sickly looking color.

 

“I’m here.” Jess reassured him, having caught sight of the elder.

 

“What happened to you?” Cody asked taking in Jess’ own preference, Jess didn’t know what he looked like but he reflected that it had to look pretty awful for Cody to not even greet him in the usual way.

 

“There were two mermaids…” Jess trailed off at the look of fierce protectiveness that darkened Cody’s eyes.

 

 

“No, but listen Cody – there was another boat here, a little motored one – the mermaids surfaced at their side, looked like they knew and trusted the two boys in it. But…” Jess paused wondering if he should tell Cody of Lewis before he spoke to the other boy at the aquarium. He was sure Lewis had recognized his sail ship. Before Cody could think to question Jess at his pause, he started to look distracted and Jess for the first time was grateful for Julia’s interruptions.

 

“It doesn’t matter, Jess. Mother says she thinks she knows someone who has answers. I think she’s going to the shore to meet with them….” Cody looked puzzled at this – he had good reason to be - for Julia had never ventured close to the shore alone unless it had been in Cody’s youth…

 

“Jess, do me a favor?” Cody asked then, looking to Jess with affection and worry. Jess knew it would most likely have something to do with Julia’s unexpected trip to the shore of the mainland and found it almost too easy to smile for Cody’s sake with a nod of his head.

 

“You don’t even have to ask Cody, I’ll make sure she’ll be alright.” Jess promised standing up slowly his knees aching for having been sitting most of the morning and noon – as now the sun was high in the sky- Cody smiled somewhat sadly, as if that was not quite what he wanted of Jess but he was unwilling to speak now. Jess shook off the thought, he was reading too much into things that just weren’t there.

 

“ _Be careful, Jess_ …” The words were sung into his mind, soothing and delicate as a spider web might be. Jess looked to Cody to find he had left, though he had said his own silent good bye, whispered into Jess’ mind. It felt all at once like a personal– almost too intimate – gesture, for merely friendships sake. Jess bit his lip, ignoring the shiver of pleasure that washed along his spine, even as he went about on the ship, pulling up anchor, unfolding the sails with a press of a button, then going to the cabin making way silently to the shore of the mainland. 

 

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

 

When Lewis and Ash reached the dock, Cleo and Emma had already dried off and were, in appearance, girls once more. They waited –somewhat impatiently - for Lewis to tie off his boat before rushing into an explanation of the plan they had formed together while they had waited.

 

“First we’ll fetch Zane,” Emma - who still did not like the overly rich boy who favored Rikki – curled her nose a bit at the mention of his name upon her lips, “and Rikki, and then call up Miss Chatham…I’m sure she’ll have a answer to who the merman could be.” Emma told the two, Ash smiled at her, and she preened pleased with the apparent approval.

 

Cleo merely nodded her own agreement, and reached for Lewis’ hand. While he did not flinch away from her, Ash noticed he still looked worried and wondered if it had anything to do with the sail ship they had seen.

 

“Any ideas to where they are, Lewis?” Cleo asked him quietly, for it was clear then that that much of their plan relied on Lewis’ knowing Zane as only he did. It was something the girls – and Ash – did not understand of the pair, they had had a rivalry since childhood, but when one needed the other they could be relied upon to come to help.

 

“Yeah,” Lewis answered somewhat reluctantly, “likely at the motorcycle track …Rikki’s been asking Zane to teach her how to ride.” Lewis confessed, Ash gathered from Emma’s and Cleo’s surprise they hadn’t known this. It turned out that Lewis was the only one to know for sure where the track was, so he led them there, however reluctant he was loyal to the girls.

 

The revving of an engine that purred like an all too large big cat was their first clue that they were close. Lewis had led them along the beach to a grove of trees that had no clear path through, though there were signs of the tires along the beach and the sparse vegetation. A clearing opened up surprisingly quickly, it took them around the track to the leveled platform that looked out over the rough terrain the motorcyclists favored. There was also a smaller smoother inclined track which – without hesitation – was where Lewis took them. Sure enough there were the two they were looking for bedecked in leather with helmets securely clipped on.

 

“Well, well, seems _someone_ doesn’t know the meaning of the word “private” or “secret.” …” Despite his drawled words, he didn’t look surprised or particularly upset that Lewis had showed up with the rest. Rikki had started to smile, but it paused before it reached her eyes upon hearing Zane’s words and significant look to Lewis, who flushed not looking the darker haired boy in the eyes.

 

 “Leave him alone, Zane, he’s only trying to help.” Ash grumbled out, unhappy at the open show of how they treated Lewis – he had so little respect from them – worse was that he didn’t seem to expect to be thanked or included by them. It wasn’t right, even though it seemed to be just how things were. Lewis had accepted that easily enough, but Ash couldn’t.

 

“Want to make something of it, _Ashy-boy_?” Zane asked softly, though Ash knew Zane was furious at being told off in front of the girls.

 

“That’s enough you two. We may have a…problem.” Lewis interrupted, having seen how the girls were getting upset. Lewis knew he should not have brought Zane and Ash together if he could have helped it, but this was dire. 

 

“What do you mean?” Rikki asked in a no nonsense tone, before either Zane or Ash could continue, both seemed to settle – feathers ruffled – but willing to share information for now. Lewis was always reminded of two dogs fighting over ‘marked’ territory when he was around them.

 

“Emma and I saw a merman - and a mermaid - in the moon pool. We think the mermaid was Julia – we’ll have to ask Miss Chatham to be sure of that - but we’ve never seen the guy before…” Cleo explained softy, Rikki’s eyes had widened in her surprise, though Zane’s attention was on Lewis, who didn’t seen all that interested in the facts laid out for them. The girls weren’t alone, and Zane knew how much that meant to Lewis, but he wasn’t reacting as he would.

 

The girls, too caught up in their own excitement as they trekked out of the grove intent on going to Miss Chatham’s did not notice Ash and Zane exchange looks, both having seen Lewis’ odd silence as something not normal. The look was a truce, and because Ash didn’t feel he knew Lewis well enough to ask he walked with the girls – asking questions and keeping them distracted – as Lewis and Zane walked beside each other, both silent until Zane broke the silence between them with a blunt question.

 

“What’s wrong with you?” It was, Lewis supposed, just like Zane to notice and to not keep it to himself that he did.   

 

“I recognized the sail ship at the island. It’s…Dr. Wheatley’s; he just started work at the aquarium.” Lewis confessed, though not wanting to let Zane know that he knew he and Jess were on a first name basis. Zane’s knuckles whitened on the helmet he gripped, pressing his lips together in thought.

 

“Could he know Dr. Denman?” Zane asked softly, not wanting to alarm the girls – or have them overhear. Lewis thought about it a moment, then shook his head slightly. He had admired Dr. Denman before he had made the mistake of letting her get her hands on a sample of mermaid DNA.

 

“I don’t think so.” Zane had learned that Lewis’ first instincts were often right and found him self relaxing slightly, though he was still tensed. The silence between them dragged on a bit.

 

Zane overheard Ash ask something of the girl’s powers and how that while Emma’s and Cleo’s had manifested swiftly enough, Rikki had been worried with how long hers had taken. Ash was sympathetic and new, and perhaps that was why Zane didn’t like him all that much. He shook his head, turning his attention once more to the withdrawn Lewis at his side.

 

“Then what has got you so worried?” Zane asked then, as he saw the elderly residential houses coming into sight, he was truly puzzled for though Lewis had told him the connection his mind was clearly elsewhere.

 

“The mermaid, I agree might be Julia, but…what about…” Lewis paused, biting his lip to keep his own council. Zane having read between the lines paused, and Lewis with him, though Zane hadn’t been aware of it till Lewis glanced to the ground guiltily.

 

“The merman…you don’t think he’s Dr. Wheatley, or you would have said so, but he is connected somehow to those two. You think…” Zane paused feeling all at once worried, though he didn’t want to say what exactly it was that worried him.

 

“Think about it, Zane, how else could a merman come about – either he was born, or…” Lewis paused, they had both seen the moon pool often enough to know how easily that they could have been affected.

 

“Or the moon pool could also affect men.”  It troubled Zane, he didn’t quite know what was worse – that a mermaid could bare children that could become, in turn, be of their mothers nature. Or if the thought of being a merman thrilled him, he wondered – if it was possible – what Rikki would think of it.

 

“It can’t be a coincidence, the phase the moon will be in – Julia’s appearance, and… Dr. Wheatley…” That, Lewis knew, was what troubled him the most. He knew how the moon affected the girls – how eerie and frightening they became, the way Miss Chatham was – though strange and dignified – was also something he worried was natural in a mermaid’s development. If Miss Chatham was the way she was, how strange and – perhaps – manipulative might Julia have become over the years?

 

It could be that Dr. Wheatley was in danger, and he wouldn’t even know it until it was too late.

 

“Even so, we ought to keep this to ourselves; the moon pool only works if there are three of them. I imagine it’s the same for men as well.” Zane murmured softly, Lewis only nodded in agreement. Emma had knocked; the door opened to Miss Chatham’s smiling face.

 

“I knew you would come!” Miss Chatham said by way of greeting, opening her door wider to let them come in. The girls settled themselves on a couch across from a chair which Miss Chatham claimed. Lewis squeezed in beside Cleo, but Zane and Ash had to stand, neither minded much as they found Miss Chatham very strange.

 

“What can I help you with?” Miss Chatham asked them, sitting forward so her elbows rested on the chair arms and her hands folded beneath her chin. She had dreamy blue eyes, but they were focused – startlingly so – upon the three young mermaids before her. Long golden hair, wavy and curling with a life of its own as it clung to her shoulders, seemed to frame her features.

 

“Well, Cleo and I found a mermaid – and a merman! – at the moon pool.” Emma explained seeming to be the one which Miss Chatham got along with the best. Cleo merely nodded empathically beside her, Miss Chatham leaned backward and her eyes went somewhere else as she considered what she had been told.

 

 

“Wondered what?”  Zane kept a polite tone with effort, but he didn’t like how she strung them along so. Miss Chatham, despite of the bad history between them, only smiled at him in a way which was mystifying – and understanding.

 

“Of what became of Julia…and her child…” Miss Chatham explained then, somewhat bemusedly looking upon their combined confused and worried features. Ash looked to Zane, who lifted a shoulder in a half shrug. He hadn’t known anything of this, despite having researched it all when he had been obsessed with that glimpse of Emma’s tail he had gotten when she had saved him.

 

“She had a child?” Lewis spoke then, very tense as he calculated the years between when Julia might have left then and how old a merman – if it was hers – had to be. It was clear Emma was doing the same, and found the age of the apparent merman matched up.  

 

“No, but she was with child when she fled from us. She had been horrified at what Gracie had done – give up her power for Max. She could never have done something like that, not for anyone however much she loved them. Our little group split up them, and when the time came, I too left my power behind having Gracie die – it was all too much to remember alone.” Miss Chatham mused, and for a moment Zane was afraid she was getting lost and her memories and would leave them with only a bit of the information they needed.  

 

“So, the merman we saw…could be her son?” Cleo asked, pensive and her brows drawn up in thought. Lewis patted her hand, smiling if only to reassure her. Miss Chatham seemed to notice, and approve. Zane was suddenly furious at her for thinking that Lewis - or Cleo - needed her approval to have a relationship.

 

“There is only one way to find out.” Miss Chatham told the room at large, though her answer was for Cleo. All the same she raised herself awkwardly from the too soft chair; Ash was willing enough to help her.

 

“What about why she’s here?” Emma asked with a puzzled frown as she too stood, followed closely enough by Rikki and Cleo. They followed after her like ducklings as she headed toward the door. Miss Chatham didn’t answer them until they were out on the lawn, only then did she address them her gaze going over them all, seeming to make eye contact. It was a trick, Zane knew, that his father had taught him – to skim your eyes over a crowd and make them feel as if they answered to you. Nonetheless, somehow with Miss Chatham it was more effective.  

 

“We’ll find that out too – I indeed to ask her myself. Come along now, there’s a cove along this beach that no one would remember near by, none save those who could get to it from the sea.” She told them, leaving no room for argument or discussion she headed down the path to the shoreline, they could do little else but follow after.

 

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

 

Lewis at first thought that perhaps Miss Chatham had made a mistake, heading into tightly woven tress whose limbs pulled at hair and clothing alike, and with undergrowth so overgrown it seemed to have a goal of seeing one of them flat on the ground. It was just enough to deter someone into turning back rather then risk clothing or skin, after a few minutes of walking through what felt like a trap, they reached a strip of clearing that lead into the sandy cove.

 

Sea water dipped into it in the form of something like a dorsal fin of a dolphin. With sand uncluttered by trash it was as if they were alone in the world, sunning rocks peeked out from the water, it would be a prefect place to hide a secret. Miss Chatham merely looked around it once, breathed in and seemed pleased to know it was as she remembered.

 

Without anymore of a pause she made her way to the waters edge, closed her eyes, and if she had not been standing up it would have looked like she was asleep. Lines creased her forehead, and she pursed her lips impatiently, the boys looked among each other – baffled – while the girls frowned, as if they could hear something far off that the couldn’t quite make out. At last Miss Chatham sighed, and smiled out over the ocean water, pleased with something.

 

“She is reluctant, but she is coming.” Miss Chatham told them, glancing to see their puzzled expressions.

 

“What did you do?” Rikki asked, frowning – she hadn’t stopped doing so since Miss Chatham had withdrawn in that moment of pensive silence - Miss Chatham for a moment merely looked surprised, her eyes widening ever so slightly.

 

“You mean you haven’t tried to share thoughts?” Miss Chatham asked, making it sound as if they acted very particular indeed. The girls looked among each other, and Emma sort of shrugged, stepping into the position of spokesperson for their actions.

 

“Why would we need to?” Emma was honestly curious, and Miss Chatham only shook her head, seemingly both amused and disappointed all at once. Lewis glanced aside; it all seemed to prove that he was ineffective help for them, when Miss Chatham seemed so surprised at something like this.

 

“To speck to each other underwater, of course, try it sometime. It’s much more effective then you might think.” Miss Chatham encouraged, smiling as if she found that question amusing. Zane bit his lip, there was no way they could have known about such ability if they had not been told about it or stumbled upon it by accident. Lewis was not at fault for not knowing such a thing, though Zane knew Lewis would think it so. 

 

“Thanks, but I’d rather keep my thoughts to my self.” Cleo announced, glancing to Lewis something like guilt in her eyes. Ash could see that Emma and Rikki were silent because of this, not, he thought, because the idea of having such ability did not interest them.

 

“As you wish, dear…ah, here she is.” Miss Chatham seemed riveted to the waters surface, as tide moved in and out for a moment it seemed that they had imagined movement beneath the waves. Then, almost shyly, a woman who seemed ageless peered out of the water at them. She was breathtaking, her golden hair though wet seemed to float about her in the water as if in a breeze. A crown of shells and starfish were fitted atop her brow, her eyes were dark though from the distance she kept they could not tell the color.       




 

“ _Greetings to you, my heart –sister, Louise…it has been too long, and two of these children I know by face, for they startled my son and I. The rest I’ll have to be introduced to …_.” Her voice was unusual – for her words seemed to be sung - that was Lewis’ thought, until he realized that for all he had _heard_ her speak, she had not done so aloud. Then he remembered the way Miss Chatham had ‘spoken’ to her – had told the girls, he just had not realized they could speak to others. Of course – why _wouldn’t_ they be able to do so? 

 

“ _Yes, it has Julia, many dozens of years. These young mermaids are Cleo and Emma, those are the ones whose faces you know, I assume. They and Rikki are the next generation. The young men are their loves, Lewis for Cleo, Zane for Rikki, and Ash for Emma. Cleo and Emma tell me there was a merman with you_.” Lewis looked to Zane and Ash, who seemed to be able to hear as well, he noticed then the distracted air about all of them, and it looked as if they listened to music no one else could hear. Lewis knew then that this ability, however valuable in water where they would not be observed, was dangerous to use above land where people could catch on.

 

“ _This is a truth, my son –Cody - of twenty-two; he prefers to call himself a triton_ ,” it was clear this amused Julia with the smile that she graced them with then, “ _I assume, Louise, that after so long you can only wonder why it is I have returned...home_.” Miss Chatham merely nodded her head; it was enough of a gesture to indicate her curiosity.

 

“ _My son has a …friend, Jess, who means very much more to him then I think he knows. You and I know, Louise, how those who age on land and sea differ, there you are a aged woman dignified in her elder years, and yet here I swim, with the looks of someone two dozen years younger for all we are the same true age_.” Julia’s smile then turned very sad, she looked so heartbroken and it gave her the look of someone older, though Miss Chatham gave her a look of sympathy, she did not seem overly concerned with her looks or Julia’s own.

 

“ _I fear for my son, he will learn of this difference soon enough if I do not see done as I intend. He knows I seek to do what will give Jess a choice of land or sea, and Jess is worthy of him. He will choose the sea, I do not doubt this. Yet, therein is the problem, the darkened moon will only turn three without a great change in nature corrupting a sea natured person, it is not any kinder then that which changed us…_.” There was a fear in Julia, of many of the things she did not want to happen coming to pass and hurting Jess – who meant much to her as well – or her own son, Cody.

 

“I’ll do it.” Zane said abruptly, stepping forward into the water, having heard the plea in her voice. Rikki looked alarmed in that moment, then calmed and looked fondly to Zane, seeming to understand in her own way why he did this. Zane looked to Lewis then, as if daring him to say something. Lewis narrowed his eyes, pressing his lips together.

 

“I as well….” Lewis said, seeming to be surprised by his own words, though Zane looked all too pleased with himself. Cleo swallowed, reaching out to hold Lewis’ hand; she looked both worried, as if she might lose him, as she nearly had with Charlotte.

 

“Ash….?” Emma sought out him, looking pensive; he only shook his head somewhat sadly. He did not think it was right of him to step forward as a volunteer, both Lewis and Zane had known of this sort of thing longer then him, figuring it out on their own without so much as being shown. He knew too that if Zane had anything to do with this, he’d make sure Ash never got the chance just to spite him.

 

“Not me, Emma, I’m not cut out for this.” Ash told her, it was truth but it still stung to see her disappointment plainly, and to see Zane’s hidden smirk. Lewis saw it all, frowning, but not saying anything. 

 

“ _Then it is decided, when the new moon rises three will become sea natured, by whatever name you choose – triton or merman_.” Julia had understood them, they knew, for all she had not spoken aloud; it was still a shock to hear her musical voice echo within them, and for them to sense her joy at their easy acceptance of what she asked. She knew also that it was a true wish, not something they felt obligated to do – Zane would to this for Rikki, so she would not be alone – and for himself so he would know what it was truly like. Lewis would do so for Cleo, and himself, for he had always heard the call of the sea and been unable to answer it.   

 

“I _think_ I prefer triton…” Zane grumbled, nearly too softly to hear. His response sent their laughter across the waves. It was not too long after that that the girls grew thirsty, for something unparticular they knew could only be found at the JuiceNet. Even knowing that they wanted to talk among each other of the change that would soon occur, without worrying Zane or Lewis, neither could blame them for wanting to do so.

 

They left then, after having kissed their girls on the cheeks, and bid farewell to Ash and Miss Chatham and Julia, the all too eerie mermaid who filled their hearts senses with some strange song of farewell they knew was sea natured, but could not quite understand. They knew also, that come tomorrows light…they _would_ understand.

 


	4. A Net Cast Too Wide

It was not entirely a surprise to Lewis, when he saw Jess Wheatley settled at a booth at the JuiceNet. Seeing him, Lewis exchanged a glance with Zane, seeing the understanding fill Zane’s eyes; Lewis wasn’t surprised when Zane took a second – longer – look at Jess.

 

Julia had all but admitted her son – Cody, a born triton (perhaps the first to inherit his gift?) of twenty-two, and Jess were more then _friends_. It surprised Zane, though, that Dr. Wheatley was so young. Lewis had admired him for that.

 

 

“Dr. Wheatley, this is Zane…a, ah, friend of mine.” There was a lingering pause in Lewis’ words, one that Zane caught, giving him a long glance before turning his attention back to Jess. Jess, who was watching them, carefully – as if measuring them up, his eyes lingered on Lewis and Zane did not like the frown on his face. It was too familiar.

 

“Pleasure to see you, Lewis,” Jess murmured with slightly narrowed eyes which flicked to Zane before he continued, “and to meet you, Zane, unfortunately, I think I must be going…” Jess trailed off, and Zane knew he was aware that he was trapped, for he looked quickly between Zane and Lewis, nervous.

 

Lewis recognized the dread – the resignation – in his eyes as he looked between them, wary. It was a shock to realize the man he’d admired had been so obviously bullied in his past.

 

“I don’t think you’ll be going anywhere, Dr. Wheatley, you see, we’ve found some _interesting_ things out, been given quite the mystery of the deeps you might say. So, you aren’t going anywhere, Doc. Not until we get some answers.” Zane had leaned in close to Jess, so it looked like they were sharing a secret. It might have looked friendly, but Lewis heard the threat in Zane’s words and gave him a wide eyed look when Zane leaned smugly back into his seat.

 

“I…see.” Jess narrowed his eyes, pressing his lips tightly closed, and Lewis got a funny feeling in the back of his head, a sort of buzzing song – like when Miss Chatham had called to Julia mentally. Lewis tensed, straining to “listen in” his reaction to that unheard communication going unnoticed as Zane spoke.

 

“Do you know Julia?” Zane asked of Jess, tilting his head to the side with a smirk spreading over his lips when recognition and alarm flared in Jess’ eyes. His fists clenched, knuckles whitening at that name, it was the only sign that he recognized the name as he looked aside as if it didn’t matter.

 

“I might. I’ve known a lot of women.” Jess shrugged his reaction – and the name off, as he met their eyes once more, boldly.

 

“Liar…” Zane purred the word out, smirking. Then something happened that neither of them had expected. It roared over them, rolling them, making them numb to the people and sounds around them. It sung out into them, snarling out the words they heard all too clearly.

 

 “ ** _Mine_** _! He-is-mine! I’ll **kill** you; I’ll kill you and drown you, do– **not** -touch-him_….!” It stung, those words – making their hearts ache. It was the most beautiful and tortured voice they had ever heard – it lulled them, even as it threatened viciously.

 

It was something like a siren, they knew, even as they stared blankly ahead, numb and cold for the disfavor shown in the voice. It had to be soothed. Had to be reassured, even if it would only be satisfied with their deaths…

 

“Cody…” It was the name that trembled off Jess’ lips, his words pained and soft, awed while hushed that freed them.

 

“ _Jess…I will not let them threaten you, they will not harm you. I am coming_ ….” It was a promise that rolled over them, meaning different things and still aching with powerful emotion. Zane and Lewis glanced between each other, the secret – they knew was out. They’d risked themselves to see if the Jess who knew a mermaid and was companion to a triton was one and the same as Jess Wheatley.

 

He was. They weren’t sure now, if that was such a good thing.

 

“Wait, just, here us out, alright?” Lewis begged softly, and Jess looked to him and nodded slowly. He was still tensed, still wary, but they knew they didn’t have the upper hand any more. They’d lost it to whatever – whoever, had answered Jess’ mental plea. 

 

“There is something you need to know about Mako Island – I recognized your sail boat off its coast. Please, just _listen_ , okay?” Lewis prodded and shifted his shoulders, for it felt now as if there was a weight on them. He – _they_ didn’t have much time.

 

Cody was coming, and it seemed as if they could tell how close he was getting, how little time they had left before he was there in the flesh. If he was so powerful mentally, Lewis did not want to be on his bad side when he showed himself physically. Even if the girls somehow got here, warned somehow – and how would they ever know, Julia was loyal to her son, wasn’t she?  

 

Miss Chatham might say something, if she caught onto the commotion they’d stirred up with Cody.

 

“When it’s the New Moon, there is a pool in the bottom of a volcano on Mako Island. If there are three guys in it – normal people, it does something – turns them into mermaids – mermen, tritons – whatever – but, look, Julia, we know about her because of Miss Chatham – she called her, the same way you called your friend. Our girlfriends, they…they are the same as Julia. It happens that way, for girls, on the Full Moon, get it?” Lewis knew he was babbling, for across from him Zane had tensed up – someone, Cody – had entered JuiceNet and they were out of time.

 

He flinched when he felt the sweat on the back of his neck heat up in the presence of Cody at his back, he bowed his head ready to take whatever abuse befell him – maybe Zane could get out, escape to safety with the girls. He peered though the fall of his blond bangs, resigned, but he looked Zane in the eyes for a final time, saw those dark eyes widen as they read what Lewis was prepared to do, and saw them narrow with denial.

 

“Is it true, what Lewis says, Cody?” There was something – some lurking of anger, in Jess. Lewis glanced up at him hopeful, but he was ignored, practically dismissed, by Jess who only had eyes for Cody.

 

Lewis almost felt bad for Cody. It was very clear that though Cody had been prepared to mentally rip them to shreds and physically tear them limb from limb, against Jess he had no such defense. He only stood there, mouth opening and closing until words came slowly out of him.

 

“Y-yes, but…I wanted to tell you, it was…was supposed to be a surprise.” Cody sounded almost pained, and glancing to Jess’ chilly expression, Lewis could guess to why. Jess did not look it – most assuredly did not _act_ it - but he was formidable in his own right, and against Cody, well, it was almost amusing. 

 

“When, exactly, were you going to tell me?” Jess drawled the words out, narrowing his eyes. Lewis knew that Cody walked thin ice – that whatever friendship he had with Jess might be breaking - that he should be weak in the knees in gratitude that something – someone, was slowing Cody down, stopping him from maiming them. It was strange then, that Lewis felt that they had cheated, that Cody was the one being wronged.

 

“Tonight…” Cody looked aside, ashamed, though it looked almost funny. Cody was built like a swimmer, with a slim build and muscles and large shoulders that hunched – flinched, away from the growing anger that spread over Jess’ features.

 

“Just a night away from the New Moon, huh?” Where once Lewis would have said Jess was scrawny and tall, though he was dwarfed by Cody – he looked now wraith thin and sharply defined. He could be either hero or villain.

 

“Yeah… _Jess_?” It was a weak plea, but Jess shook his head drawing himself away from his anger almost physically as he gave Cody a hurting smile. It was as if Jess didn’t know how else to look at Cody. Something between them had been betrayed – that Jess would have to hear about the New Moon – a secret trusted to Lewis and Zane – but not to _him_ , hurt Jess.

 

“You knew what my choice would be.” Jess told him, still looking sad, just as hurt.  

 

“I guessed.” A smile passed over Cody’s lips, small but reassuring all the same.

 

“Get out of here, Cody.” There should have been no arguing with Jess’ tone, but Cody was reminded of why he had come here when Zane breathed out in shaky relief. The danger that Cody had presented had passed – faded. Yet it was obvious that Cody held Jess as valuable – almost a possession, with how possessive he looked as he glared down at Lewis and Zane. 

 

“Not without you.” Lewis let out a shaky sigh, for he had not thought it would be so simple. Whatever rage or betrayal that had sprung up between Cody and Jess had also faded. For Jess merely accepted Cody’s claim with a nod, turning a curious expression to Zane and Lewis… Lewis was reminded that they’d yet to tell Jess why they’d sought him out.

 

 _This will be interesting_ , Lewis thought opening his mouth – but it was Zane who began to explain the rest – and…the _why_ –his why – for choosing to become “sea natured”. He wanted an escape form the ordinary – he was tired of _hearing_ about it, he wanted to _live_ it.

 

Lewis was impressed that Zane had managed to put his reasoning –his wishes - into words, because Lewis did not think he could ever begin to explain why he wanted this so badly. It wasn’t about the girls – it was…was him.

 

He wanted this change, needed it. He wished he knew why he wanted this so badly, but he did not. He only _wanted_ it, and knew – reassuringly so, that it would happen. That he would be changed. He craved that knowledge.

 

“What about you, Lewis?” Jess asked with a kind look, it was plainly held with understanding, but Lewis couldn’t think to _why_ Jess would be so sympathetic to his reasons – reasons Lewis did not fully understand and he had not told anyone of.

 

“I…I just want to, you know, be _someone_ for once.” Lewis admitted to Jess, careful not to look to either Zane or Cody. He heard Zane start to get up, and wondered what the other boy thought of his confession. What would Zane think of him now? Now that he knew Lewis didn’t like who he was – wanted to be more?

 

“I’d...better get the drinks…for the girls.” Zane was facing away from him, toward the counter, when he spoke and Lewis glanced up. Cody shared a long look with Jess, but followed Zane when he moved to order drinks the girls probably had not really wanted.

 

“Why do you feel that way?” Jess asked – Lewis was glad that he’d left his name out of his words; he didn’t know Jess very well, but he liked him.

 

“I…I just do. That I’m not enough, and that – no matter what I do…I never will be.” Lewis fought to get the words out, confessing them to an almost-stranger, he found, was easier then facing the prospect of talking with the girls – or Ash, or Zane. With Jess, it didn’t matter so much to him what the other thought of his confession – not yet.

 

“You have a life, a solid beginning for a career you’ll enjoy – while the girls must struggle though to keep the parts of them human and that belong to the sea from gaining too much of themselves. It happened to Julia – she abandoned land entirely, she couldn’t even walk on land to claim her child. Cody…I won’t let that happen to Cody, but maybe I could understand better if he and I were the same species, you know? I’ve lived on land a long time, but the sea – my boat, it’s pretty much my life now. The girls are lucky to have you – to have the others, Cody only ever had me to remind him of life on land.” Jess was smiling, but Lewis knew what he was trying to say, what hung in the silence between them.

 

“So…you’re doing this for Cody?” Lewis asked, wondering why it was Julia had seemed to see the obvious between her son and Jess, but both the boys clung to the friendship they had had, afraid to move foreword for fear of losing what they had. Maybe for them, this would be the next step – tritons and mermaids had a mental connection, there would be no hiding in their minds when the change took them.

 

“In a way, but – not entirely, like you I made a life for myself, I’ve had longer to live it. I realized a long time ago that I’m not happy with it. I’d rather not have to come back to the land for food and water and the shit that keeps my tub running. I’m not really doing this to change myself; I’m not under the illusion that being human is any worse off then being triton, or any better. In a lot of ways, Cody is still the guy I remember from high school – you know? He hasn’t really changed. Or it’s slower. I’m not sure of it, but it’s a bit more noticeable then it was a few years ago – enough to worry me. I think…I think he’ll outlive me if I don’t take this chance. He’d never forgive himself that.” Jess looked over Lewis’ shoulder to where Cody stood, a vague sort of smile passing over his lips. Jess looked away from that – it was painfully obvious how Jess felt for Cody, and Cody for Jess, but if they wanted to kid themselves, Lewis wasn’t stepping in.

 

“So the girls…Cleo, Rikki, and Emma – they’ll…” Lewis trailed off, his heart aching, he knew they’d flee from land before lingering to watch their friends and family fade and die. He didn’t know how Miss Chatham had lived with it, but he _knew_ the girls – knew they wouldn’t linger once they realized…they wouldn’t give up the sea like Miss Chatham had.

 

“Yeah, but, for now, or for a few more years at least, it’ll be hard to recognize, but when your twenty-one and your best friend looks like a teenager – even being younger then he is – well, there isn’t any more pretending then. I don’t think Cody realizes…” Jess looked down at his hands, a wary look in his eyes and frown twisting his lips.

 

“He sees it, Jess.” Lewis murmured, looking to the side to see the boys – the drinks were in front of them, but they were stalling. It was obvious they wanted Jess to solve whatever was “wrong” with Lewis, though he’d always felt this way and it wasn’t changing until he changed…

 

“It’s in the way he looked at you, he’s afraid, you know? Afraid of loosing you…” There was a longing in Lewis’ tone that Jess ignored, for that much Lewis was grateful for.

 

“What I’m saying, Lewis – is this, the change is on the outside, it changes what you can _do_ – telepathy, control over elements, shit like that – but it does not change who you are. It doesn’t work that way, no matter how much you want it to. Just…just be sure you want to give up what you have before, _alright_?” There was something like pleading in Jess’ voice, and Lewis closed his eyes. This was his once in a lifetime chance. It didn’t matter that he’d be linked to Zane – who he liked well enough, and to Jess who was genius-smart, for the rest of his triton life – which, he grasped the idea of, would be a very long time.

 

“Alright…” Lewis breathed the word out, noticing the relief that washed over Jess’ expression. He wasn’t doing something reckless – he was changing things, taking control of his life. He wanted this, he was sure – Jess meant well, but Lewis had to see this though. If he didn’t none of them would change this New Moon.    




 

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

 

“What are they talking about?” Zane demanded of Cody in hushed tones. Cody shrugged one big shoulder, smirking as he looked down at Zane.

 

“I’m not sure I should tell you.” Cody rested his arms against the table top, careful to keep his distance from the fluid that was hidden in the soda cups. With closed lids and no straw in sight, Zane thought Cody should have been more at ease. Still, he acted as if to touch liquid would mean getting burnt. Zane sympathized – Rikki had been the same way, still, it was annoying as hell. Cody should have trusted him with knowing something, at least.

 

“Oh? Talking about me?” Zane pretended to preen, and Cody blinked at him, lips tilting upward in amusement. It wasn’t very pretty, but Zane would take what he could get. It was, after all, the first sign that Cody might once have been human enough to smile and laugh. It was somewhat reassuring.

 

“No. Feelings, should haves, should not’s – Jess is like a girl sometimes, always worrying about _feelings_ and doing the _right_ thing. Drove me nuts, got used to it though. Wouldn’t have him any other way…. Lewis seems to like him.” Zane was getting used to the halting way Cody spoke, rough and choked, as if he needed a glass of water. Zane knew it was more then that. Cody was used to speaking the other way – mentally; he was good at it too. Almost crushingly powerful – hypnotizing, much more then his mothers musically sung notes.   

 

“Lewis likes everyone.” Zane tried to keep anything telling out of his voice, but when Cody glanced to him, he knew he’d failed.

 

“Lewis and I, before the girls, well, before he noticed girls at all, we used to be good friends. Then, I guess, he was curious and wanted to see other people, I shouldn’t have been so reluctant about him going out on his own. I was though, possessive ass that I am, I turned against him rather then see him turn against me. Still, he never retaliated; he’s always so closed mouth, always so _calm_ and accepting. Rikki told me only recently that it came out that she was tricked by him, says she thought he got pissed off at her – but I know him better then that. He was goaded into it, asked politely to pretend to loose his temper. He’s a good actor.” Zane didn’t bother to hide the bitterness in him, pressing his lips tightly shut afterwards, all too aware that he had said too much.

 

“So, you hurt him...to have him notice you.” Cody mused, watching his expression carefully with wary eyes.

 

“You’re damn perceptive for a fish-man.” Zane told him as he turned to look at Cody, his eyes narrowed half furious that he’d been so transparent all those years. How many others had seen? Had guessed…. Zane didn’t want to know.

 

“Comes with the territory, I didn’t used to be. I guess, in some ways, I’m still good with…denying _certain_ aspects.” Cody’s jaw shut tight and Zane chuckled softly as he looked over his shoulder for a final time, it seemed things had settled between Jess and Lewis – for better or worse.

 

 

“So, where are you staying the night, Jess?” Lewis asked as Zane joined them, Zane got the feeling he’d saved this question for now. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cody tense, narrowing his eyes at Lewis, suspicious.

 

“Out on the boat, I guess, no real reason to spend the night on the mainland…” Jess trailed off, for Lewis had exchanged a telling look with Zane. He didn’t know what it meant, but Cody was tensed up, glaring at the pair as if they had threatened a kitten. Jess wondered then – just _what_ had Cody and Zane had a chance to say to each other?

 

“Nah, they say there might be a storm coming in, wouldn’t want you to get lost at sea, now would we?” Lewis said this, looking all the while at Cody – it was plain that for some reason Lewis didn’t trust Cody so near the New Moon. Cody, for his part, only looked (kind of cutely) confused, looking between Jess and Lewis – as if he wondered what had been said, just as Jess had…only Cody would _know_ , because of his hearing…

 

So he’d wonder had what hadn’t been said.

 

Zane gave in to Lewis, chuckling softly, looking fondly down at Lewis – the stubborn blond tensed, gritting his teeth, even as he looked up to Jess and Cody.

 

“What Lewis trying to hint at, is that I’m rich – got a mansion with more rooms then I need, and its just going to be me till after the weekend.” Zane smirked then, as he looked at Cody and Jess (who let out a long suffering sigh at the plain challenge in Zane’s eyes) then tapped his fingers on the cup holder he carried.

 

“So, who wants to sleep over?” Jess gave a tight smile to Lewis, then nodded his acceptance – narrow eyed, Cody didn’t trust Zane not to let something “slip” if he didn’t go along with this, Cody grimaced then bowed his head to the inevitable. When Zane was sent to deliver the drinks to the girls, they thought nothing of the “sleep over” – save to think that they perhaps ought to have one of their own.   




 


	5. A Sea With No Moon

“You can’t keep me here! I want to go to the marine park.” Kim stomped her foot, glaring down at Miriam, who was sprawled along _her_ couch. Kim had quickly become infuriated with the elder girl, she was _worse_ then Cleo! Kim sometimes got a response from her sister, a reaction positive or negative, was still an acknowledgement – Miriam was making it plain that she had no interest in Kim, beyond being paid for “watching” her. Kim didn’t like it, in the least – and it was showing. Had been showing, but – for once – Miriam was not being forced to take notice. _Hopefully_. 

 

“In point of fact, I can – and will.” Miriam stated, raising her eyebrows at Kim, as if she were little more then an annoyance. Kim gritted her teeth, well aware of the time passing far too quickly then she would like. Kim stood in front of the TV, a car commercial playing in the background. Kim did not want to see this chance wasted; Miriam wouldn’t so much as look at her while a stupid day-time show was running.

 

Further – in another four hours, Kim’s dad would be home, and Kim would have done nothing all day. Ordinarily this wouldn’t have bothered Kim, she made a point of doing what she wanted – when she wanted; and often, that wasn’t much. Still, what she did or did not do was on her terms. This, clearly, _was not_. If only because Miriam annoyed Kim and Kim – in turn – wanted to annoy Miriam if only for the sake of _annoying_ her!

 

 

“You wouldn’t…” Miriam hissed; white-knuckled fists clenched at her sides. It was a not-so-obvious threat, but Kim was heedless of it. Miriam was a different sort of threat; her greatest strength lay in playing the innocent, in looking lovely and lying through her teeth. It was effective to a point – and Miriam would not risk such appearances. That, Kim knew, was also her weakness. Miriam did not know when to offer the threat of violence, and when not to manipulate. Kim did. 

 

“I would.” Miriam looked Kim up and down, as if measuring her, and then she let out a huff of breath – annoyed at being bested. A half-smile hovered over her lips, approving. Kim realized then that Miriam was _aware_ of her – was reacting, and noticed that Kim was more then just a little kid. Kim wondered only then, too late, if that was such a good thing.  

 

“This is blackmail, brat.” Miriam stated it matter-of-factly, though there was no heat to it. Kim frowned after her, puzzled, as Miriam made for her purse, and then the door – turning back only once to jingle the keys over her shoulder, mocking in her beckoning.

 

“Coming, _Kimmy_?”  Pleased, though still conflicted (had Kim won? Or was this some trick?...) Kim followed her out to her car. Miriam drove, but Kim kept her mouth shut, wondering when the other shoe would drop - and Miriam might come to her senses. Kim had half-forgotten to be wary by the time she got to the marine park, standing just inside the ticket/information booth that led underground into the aquarium.

 

“How can I help you, mister…?” Kim glanced upward, out of habit. Rare was it that anyone might come to the park alone, most often this was a place for kids, or families – or even dates; though only Lewis, already half-in-love with the sea, would think so. This man, Kim could tell at a glance – was nothing like Lewis.

 

“Sean Marshall. Maybe you can help me, I’m looking for an old high-school friend of mine, a Dr. Jess Wheatley?” There was something dangerous about him, even as he smiled at the clerk, making the girl flush prettily – it was there hovering at the edge of his features like a gathering storm. Miriam glanced down at Kim, though the younger girl didn’t notice – and then looked to the man - mid-twenties and built something between a rugby player and a swimmer.

 

“Oh, yes, well I’m afraid you’re a bit early, Dr. Wheatley doesn’t start work here until Monday.” Miriam was many things, but a fool was not one of them – she saw that Kim was worried, half-glaring; this was _not_ the beginnings of a crush.

 

“You’re sure?” Sean, Kim took note, did not look disappointed. He looked as if this confirmed something he had suspected. Sean looked like someone who wasn’t afraid of doing things the long way. He had come here for information – not a friend – and now that he had the facts he wanted, Kim didn’t know what he would do with them.

 

“I’m quite sure; I’ll leave a message for Lewis – Dr. Wheatley’s assistant, to contact you – if you would be so kind as to leave your contact information?” Kim tensed at the mention of Lewis; becoming pale and obviously biting at the bottom of her lip. Miriam frowned as well, having heard it. She knew the park wasn’t _usually_ in the habit of giving its co-workers names away so freely, and it stuck her as wrong –strange - that she would hear Lewis’ name now. Miriam had only intended this outing as something of a reward for Kim, having bested Miriam was not something that happened often – and this was harmless enough to give into. 

 

“Don’t bother; I’ll drop in for a visit during his lunch break. Thanks.” It set Kim on edge, making her wish someone else would see what she suspected. That, at least in this, she wouldn’t be alone with her suspicions – maybe it was because she had been so wrong the last time, thinking Cleo and her friends to be mermaids. Badly, she wanted someone to stand beside her, to tell her she wasn’t paranoid – that something was happening here that she wasn’t just imagining.

 

It was then that Kim looked up to Miriam, and the elder girl’s eyes met her – and very slowly, Miriam nodded in acknowledgement of what suspicions she saw lurking in Kim’s eyes. Kim closed her own eyes, briefly, and relaxed enough to feel as if she could breath. It was _real_ – and knowing that was enough; for now.   

 

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

 

“Jess, please …would you just _talk_ to me?” Cody pleaded softly, watchful of the other two boys as they left the café. A sleepover, it was almost ridiculously normal. Cody wasn’t fool enough to think that Jess had forgotten and forgiven so easily, with Jess, he was used to being looked down on and dismissed. Cody wouldn’t do that, he knew Jess wasn’t forgetting anything anytime soon.

 

Life wasn’t that easy. Jess was playing at being steady and calm for the benefit of Lewis and Zane. He wasn’t, Cody knew, not really; Jess was tense with nerves and narrowed eyed. It wasn’t a good sign. Jess clenched his fingers, glancing to Cody over his shoulder, he’d let Lewis and Zane go on ahead, naturally following them. Now he stopped abruptly beside Cody.

 

“Look, Jess, I know you’re angry.” Cody began, hesitantly, and Jess half rolled his eyes. Cody had asked for him to talk, and now when he stopped and waited and was, at least, willing to _listen_ , Cody acted as if he were a girl. Not that Jess had anything against girls, really, it just annoyed him the way some guys acted as if girls had to be treated in a certain way, when, really, the problem couldn’t be danced about at a distance.

 

“I’m not _angry_ , Cody, I’d just rather have known about this,” Jess gestured to Cody, standing in skin and not fins, to the sea, as if he didn’t quite know how to put it all into words, though he made a fair impression of pulling them out willingly enough, “I thought you’d lost the ability to land walk. I thought you had let me in, that you might have told me about something like this if you knew – other people, Cody – _girls_ just like you, and your mom, with scales and water allergies. Do you even trust me? So, what is it, Cody? What could we possibly have to talk about?” Jess hissed the last words, and Cody fidgeted like a guilty child.

 

“I didn’t really know about the girls, Jess, honest. Only that, here, this place is important to the secret. I…I didn’t know about the land walking, Jess, I thought like you did, that there was a certain number of years I could walk on land until the change didn’t just _go away_. But, you were in my head, and upset, and I…I didn’t want to see you hurt.” Cody broke, wide shoulders hunching inward, and face ducking away from whatever he feared to see of Jess’ expression. 

 

“That’s another thing, Cody…why, why were you so…” Jess couldn’t finish, but he could remember just fine. He’d heard Cody, just as Zane and Lewis had – Cody had never made any attempt to hide what he was, who he was – and what he could do.

 

(“ ** _Mine_** _! He-is-mine! I’ll **kill** you; I’ll kill you and drown you, do– **not** -touch-him_….!”)

 

That wasn’t like him, while Cody was open natured after he got used to you, he wasn’t one to force his own mind on another; either verbally, or with his abilities, yet, today – only a few moments ago, Cody had nearly done just that.

 

(“ _Jess…I will not let them threaten you, they will not harm you. I am coming_ ….”)

 

Jess remembered keenly the words that even now sent shivering fear slick along his spine to settle cold in his belly. There was something in him that craved Cody, even as he feared what Cody could do.

 

“I…” Cody swallowed, licking his lips before willing the words to be shoved out his mouth – he had to say it, Jess had to know, _now_ , before it was too late and he knew – found out – some other, less kind, way.

 

“It...It’s _complicated_ , Jess, but I…I think I love you.” His voice was hushed in plea, so not to be overheard by another. Jess knew, hearing Cody confess, that it was true.

 

“Really..?” Jess asked his voice soft and unsure.

 

“Really, really.” Cody breathed, shyly peeking up at Jess through the fall of his blond hair, a grin tugging at his lips. Jess found he could not stop – and did not want to - his own smile from answering his best friends.

 

Cody knew then that he’d been forgiven; but he wasn’t fool enough to think his friend would forget, or wouldn’t worry at what else Cody might have kept from him. He was okay with that, too, Cody realized. He had to trust Jess to keep his secrets, from the beginning. Yet, when Cody alone had tried protecting his own secrets; and it felt too much like a betrayal of Jess to do so again. If it kept him honest with Jess, he didn’t mind learning he was wrong once in a while.

 

Jess shook his head, seeming to read off all this from Cody’s earnestly open expression, yet he was still smiling. Cody dared hope everything would turn out okay, after all.

 

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

 

“You guys coming - or what?” Zane asks abruptly, having turned around when he realized (by Lewis’ stalling him, while Zane suspected, trying to give Cody and Jess some distance for privacy sake) that he wasn’t being followed after all. He was more amused by the twos antics – and Lewis, to be all that much annoyed. Cody gave a one-shouldered shrug. Only when he reached out to hug Jess to his side – showing no sign of letting him go again any time soon, nodding for Zane to go ahead, did Zane know to keep his smile hidden.

 

Cody cared about Jess, and Jess - however eerily _terrifying_ Zane himself felt the part fish-man to be, Jess liked Cody just as much. Zane knew to keep his mouth shut though, because if there was even a _chance_ he might ruin this for the both of them; Zane knew who he should fear most of all.

 

Jess had connections all over the aquatic field that bridged science and natural habitat sanctuaries and protected native islands and their ocean territory, somehow he’d singlehandedly bridged the gap between them. And if Jess was set against someone – it would be an easy thing for the doctor to ruin his father who specialized in buying land and reconstructing it for tourists and the benefits of the people. As for Cody, he was terrifying all on his own, and there was no where on land or sea that he could get away from the formidable triton – or his mother.

 

Still, it wasn’t to either of them that he glanced to then. Lewis was smiling broadly, as if he’d thought the whole ploy up of bring these two together himself, and wholeheartedly approved of the blooming relationship.

 

It was a cute look on Lewis; Zane could admit that. He could also admit the one time he had learned first-hand that Lewis still had a temper; when Zane had broken up with Rikka, and Lewis had gone hunting for him, a line had been crossed between them that was only now being paved. Things hadn’t worked out between Rikka and him, and there was no helping that – but Lewis had proved he was still dangerous in his own right.

 

Zane hadn’t thought, before then, that Lewis still had it in him to stand up to Zane. That he had gotten tired of Zane and his zeal for living. Yet, he _hadn’t_. Zane would be a liar if he didn’t admit, if only to himself, that he – the rich kid - had been more then a little attracted to that dangerous passion Lewis held when it came to his friends. He was kind, yes, but protective and fiercely loyal to them. He’d always been reckless when it came to the girls. Zane hadn’t changed that much; Lewis hadn’t changed at all – only gotten different friends.

 

Zane had been a little jealous of the girls, oh yes – always. Because Lewis had _liked_ them, protected them – and seemed to have forgotten Zane – moved on from him. He’d hated that. Zane had reached out to Rikka because he liked her, and Lewis had liked her, befriended her, and made her worthy in Zane’s eyes.

 

Maybe it had started as a way to show Lewis up; that Zane was still in his life and not to be dismissed. It had ended up proving to Zane that ultimately, Lewis was very well aware of him and the danger he could have posed – but did not, however else Lewis might pretend otherwise that Zane wasn’t important to him – to the girls.

 

That wasn’t going to change between them, that sureness of each other – that dangerous undercurrent of tension that sang in his blood. With Lewis and him, it was like two different predators circling each other. Would they maim and tear into each other? Or could they share this territory and work together for the greater whole? Zane loved it – how dangerous Lewis could be if he chose.

 

It never failed to turn him on.

 

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

 

“Make yourselves at home, I guess. Feel free to do whatever exploring you’d like.” Zane stated with a certain arrogance and lack of real-world mistrust that Cody was becoming accustomed to. It seemed to come naturally to Zane, his ignorance of the way the world and its people really were – how much they feared and destroyed so carelessly what surrounded them. 

 

Cody guessed that as far as houses went, Zane’s looked well enough off. Used to the ocean and its vivid colored reefs and flourishing life, Cody didn’t know what _people_ would think was nice looking or not. Or he was doing a very good job of ignoring it all. He was finding he was good at that. Still, it didn’t bother him as much as he thought it would, this blunt display of power that Zane wielded over the land that Jess walked so carefully. Jess certainly didn’t seem all that impressed with it.

 

“It’s a nice design.” Jess stated, looking around to study _things_ rather then with any real interest of the wealth it promised. Lewis didn’t seem all that enthused, though Cody guessed that might be due to the fact that he’d probably seen Zane’s home before. 

 

“It’s alright, I guess. Foreign, dad said.” Zane mumbled carelessly, flushing at his lack of knowledge, of which Jess seemed to have a firmer grasp of better then he did.

 

“Ah,” Jess still looked, but Cody saw that he was indeed studying the design of the place rather then the things, as Cody had first thought, “do you mind if I?” Jess made a gesture as if to walk around.

 

Cody knew he’d be going along with Jess, if just because he wasn’t yet ready to let his best friend out of his sight. He’d never known before that Jess was interested in such things as structure design, it seemed boring – but something Cody was more then willing to indulge Jess in, if Jess ended up telling him about it.

 

Zane had only shrugged in response, smiling a little sheepishly at Jess as if sorrier about not being a ‘good host’ to Jess and his curiosity, but altogether unconcerned with the request. Jess took it for permission, and walked away as if following something along the walls and ceiling on he could see – Cody trailed after. 

 

“I didn’t know you liked this sort of stuff, I thought it was just, you know – science, and near downing in pools by musical instrument, and tide pools.” Cody grinned at Jess then, remembering some of the stuff that had led up to the discovery of his mermaid mother and their friendship – and now. Now was more uncertain, true, but Cody liked the promise of it. Liked that Jess finally knew after so long how much he really meant to Cody.

 

“You’d be surprised of how many hobbies I’ve picked up…still, some of the old stuff, you know – never gets old.” Jess found he blushed a little then; remembering how even ‘back then’ he’d liked Cody more then he knew best _friends_ should like each other. Jess had never had friends, not really – he hadn’t needed them. Not until he met Cody, and found Cody was everything he had ever needed without even knowing he needed it.

 

“Yeah.” Cody breathed, nudging Jess easily against the closet convenient wall with ease and a little bit of playfully. He loomed over the younger, lither man; with brown burnt dark hair and wiry muscle, for all that Cody looked younger – he wasn’t. Pressed up against Jess, he felt a longing – a familiar hunger he’d always before been afraid to indulge in. It welled up in him, that freeing feeling of knowing he could express himself truly – how much Jess really meant to him – and not have to fear the Jess might run screaming from him.

 

“Love you Jess.” Cody breathed soft and eager, the edge of hunger being blunted by the tenderness he felt for Jess - and awareness of what he finally fully understood to be all that Jess meant to him.

 

“Me too, Cody – love you, I mean, I love you.” Jess stammered, mangling the words and causing Cody to laugh softly against the dark curls of Jess’s hair that he had nuzzled his nose into. Warm breath teased against his scalp and neck, and Jess found himself shivering even as he knew it wasn’t from cold.

 

“My Jess,” Cody crooned his lips pressed firmly to Jess’ throat as he spoke, after each word he nipped at it as if not quite aware that this wasn’t how he’d normally act, “mine soon.” Jess tensed up then, realizing something was no quite right with Cody – he just…didn’t sound like himself. Jess thought he was a decent judge of what his friend did and didn’t do having known him as long as he had. 

 

“Cody, we shouldn’t…don’t, stop – okay?” Jess urged softly but firm, putting a hand on Cody’s arm, hoping his touch would draw Cody out of the depths of whatever foreign instincts had gripped him.

 

“Jess…?” Cody blinked up at him, as if not quite sure who he was pressed up against. 

 

“What’s wrong, Cody?” Jess asked, frowning up at him worriedly. Cody was himself again, yes, but why had he slipped so much from himself?

 

“I…I don’t really know, I just – it’s like I feel as if something is watching us, no – you, like it’s out there – and judging, and my instincts know it. I want to protect you. I just can’t see it. It sounds crazy, but – have you ever felt anything like that…?” Cody, Jess knew, was trying to tell him something he didn’t have words for. Yet he’d still try, because it was what Jess wanted of him. That meant a lot to Jess, so he tried to read between the lines and feelings to get to the heart of what Cody was saying. What he understood worried him.

 

“Once - yeah, you know – I used to, when we first met; especially around your creep of a friend, Sean Marshall. You remember him?” Jess tried to keep his voice lighthearted, teasing, but he saw at once – and was relived to see – that Cody wasn’t fooled. In fact, Cody looked worried for him; as if he just grasped that for all that Cody had tried and failed to keep things from Jess. Jess might have done the same, kept secrets – and had succeeded in doing so in such a way that Cody might never have suspected until now.

 

“He never bothered you though, right?” Cody asked softly, seeking some kind of reassurance. Jess smiled softly, seeing in these little moments how much Cody cared for him.

 

“No, I just got the feeling he was always around for a while there. Interested in me, waiting me out, see if I’d crack, at least that’s what I thought then. I guess he knew, but couldn’t prove to himself, how I was connected to you disappearing. It was like that. You know, how you described it.” Cody held him for a while longer, as if reassuring himself after Jess’s confession that Jess was here, beside him, and not hurt somewhere. Cody had known that Jess had been harassed most of his life- before they’d become friends, but it hadn’t sunk in that Jess would be threatened much after Cody had gone during the summer. Not till now. After all, Jess had never said anything – so Cody had never suspected it.

 

“I promise, Jess, I’ll never let anything like that happen to you again. Not from me, not from anyone. No one would get away with touching you.” Cody was hugging him, Jess relished in knowing - not as a boyfriend, though there was the echo of that intimacy, but as his best friend. Things hadn’t changed that much between them after all; still friends, even though in the midst of a different sort of relationship.

 

“I know that, Cody – I believe in you. Trust yourself, I always have.” Jess told him, firm and teasing at the same time. Cody laughed, and Jess relaxed in hearing it, knowing then that things would be okay, both between the two of them – and whatever they faced now, it’d be okay, because they’d work it out – together.

 


	6. Turn Of The Tide

"You're turning into quite the little blackmailer, aren't you?" There was something almost fond in Miriam's voice. Kim didn't quite know what to make of it, so said nothing at all, and only stared stubbornly ahead, meeting Miriam's eyes by way of the rearview mirror. Miriam was driving them back to Kim's house, but

"Alright, do you know who to call about this?" Miriam asked, soft and worried in her own way. Miriam didn't dislike Lewis, and didn't like him. He was a former friend of Zane; at most he should be a curiosity.

He _preferred_ Cleo, Emma, and Rikki to Zane, who was charming and wealthy – when Nate wasn't around to ruin him. Miriam had heard about it from the gossips, that Nate had come into Zane's life – and as quiet and quick as that, Lewis had left it. Good riddance, so far as some had been concerned… but Zane didn't forget his friends so swiftly as that.

Miriam could tell from those questions Sean Marshall had asked, he wouldn't let that Dr. Jess Wheatley go without confronting him. Lewis was his assistant, and might become something like collateral damage or cannon fodder if he got in Sean's way. Lewis was the type to do something like that – because it was the right thing to do.

Miriam wouldn't see him lose his job or get hurt because he hadn't been warned; she was a lot of things, but not outright cruel. So he had to be warned, but Miriam didn't know how to go about it without getting involved. It rested with Kim, who was Cleo's sister, Cleo who was Lewis's friend, or…or something, the way Cleo was sometimes with Lewis, she acted like a girlfriend, or a big sister.

"We might catch Emma, she probably hasn't gone yet." Miriam didn't ask gone to where, she kept her mouth shut and raised her eyebrows.

"Emma works at the Juice Net." Kim bit her lip worriedly, and Miriam looked to the car's digital clock.

"We just might make it before closing time." Miriam told her, and smiled as she sped up.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

"I know that look." Emma's tone was teasing even as she had been worriedly watching Ash all this while. He had not noticed her looking at him looking to the sea as he cleaned up for closing. It was how she knew that what would happen out there on Mako Island under the New Moon tonight disturbed him more than he would say.

He didn't like it. Yet there was not a thing that Emma could think of to help him understand and accept it. Her words were all she had to offer, and at them, he finally looked to her rather then to the sea.

"You do, do you?" Ash answered, looking to her fondly. His words were rueful, his smile half hearted.

"Do you want to go out there with us?" Emma nodded her head to where Cleo and Rikki sat.

"Go out _where_ …?" That oh-so-familiar young voice had come from behind her. If Emma needed further proof that she was distracted by Ash to the point of not noticing _him_ , this was where that line had to be drawn.

"Elliot, what are you doing here?" Usually her little brother could be trusted to go home after school and stay there. Not today, apparently.

"You never came and picked me up from soccer. I told Nate I'd walk here to where you worked." Emma closed her eyes, silently counting until she got control of her temper. What Nate had done was irresponsible, but what _she_ had done was…was worse.

"I'm so sorry…Elliot…I." Her little brother shrugged her apology off, glancing to Rikki and Cleo, and then to Ash. He frowned then, and bit his lip.

"No biggy, but… _are_ you going somewhere?" Elliot pushed, gently but instantly, he wasn't going to be distracted from what he had heard by Emma's guilt. Elliot knew she had friends of her own, and a life to live, that her friends were not supposed to be his. That didn't mean they didn't care about each other, but Elliot understood it – he didn't have to like it, but he did understand and sympathize.

"A camp out, on Mako Island, it was supposed to be an all-girl sleep over thing, but I suppose we could make room for you too." Cleo teased with a grin, expecting Elliot to back out. Emma closed her eyes so that no one saw her roll them. Elliot wasn't quite at the point where he thought girls were icky, as Cleo likely thought from Kim.

"Cool." Elliot couldn't have looked more pleased to be included. Cleo looked wide eyed to Emma, mouthing the word " _oops_ ". This time, Emma made no attempt to hide her rolled eyes.

Ash laughed, Emma delighted in hearing it, smiling softly at him.

"You're coming too, right?" Elliot asked of Ash, who nodded and ruffled Elliot's hair as he went back to work. This time he didn't look to the sea as they finished cleaning up for closing.

"Alright everybody, time to clear out for closing…" Ash made shooing motions as he followed them out of the Juice Net, locking the door up behind him. It was how they missed Miriam's car pulling up in the driveway behind them. Miriam and Kim had to be the last people they expected to see, and the least liked.

"What are you doing here?" Cleo demanded of Miriam, for it had been made clear to her that Kim when babysat would be staying at home, safe.

"Blame your _baby sister_ , not the baby sitter, she's a baby blackmailer." Miriam snarled back, with a smirk.

"Good thing too, we went to the Marine Park… there was this guy at the Info booth, a Sean Marshall, he was looking for Lewis's Dr. Jess Wheatley! We…didn't like the look of him." Kim finished weakly, seeing the looks her sister was exchanging with her friends. She thought Cleo looked exasperated and …and not at all worried, as if she was embarrassed. Kim felt her cheeks flush as they burned, and Elliot stared at her as if she'd been wrong from start to finish.

"Where are you all going to?" Kim asked, biting her lips and looking to Elliot, who answered loudly and unafraid.

"Mako Island!" His excitement couldn't be hid.

"It's probably nothing to worry about, Lewis just introduced us to Jess today, they didn't mention anything about Sean Marshall…" Cleo rambled, but Miriam interrupted.

"As if they'd tell you about someone like him…? Look, Cleo, I got a good look at this guy, I heard him talking about this Jess Wheatley as if he owned him. It was the worst sort of bad-ex-boyfriend break up vibes, okay? Will you just call Lewis - have him call this Jess Wheatley, _first_ before you jump to conclusions of what we are telling you? I don't want them getting hurt on _my_ conscious." Cleo was red faced, but took out her phone and pointedly put in the number for Lewis's cell phone.

"Lewis, look, it's Cleo; Miriam just drove up with Kim in the backseat. They say they came from the Marine Park. There was someone named Sean Marshall there, looking for you and Jess. Do you know anything about him, about why?" Cleo paused, breathing in deeply.

"Oh, hello Jess…yes, Sean Marshall, that's right…right…okay…thanks." Cleo was very pale as she ended the call.

"He's bad news, Jess says – an old high school rival, I think. Says to stay clear….thanks, Miriam…Kim…" Cleo looked to Rikki, who clenched and unclenched her fists – and to Emma, whose lips were pressed in a thin line. Yet it was Ash, who stared across the street, and didn't blink who spoke and by his words let them know something was wrong.

"Miriam, did you get a good look at this guy?" Ash asked softly, his gaze flinching away from the street and what he saw, aiming a false smile to her.

"Yes, I wouldn't forget his face – wasn't bad looking, but very intense." Miriam tapped her fingers on the steering wheel, uncomfortable now that she had delivered the message she had meant to.

"Look in your rearview and let me know if that's him." Miriam did just that, as if checking her make-up. No amount of blush would hide her face pale with fright.

"He must have followed me." Miriam's voice was very faint, almost apologetic. Kim shared a nervous look with her sister, and Elliot looked to Emma and Ash, but both were very careful not to look back across the street. Rikki was the only one to see the car of one Sean Marshall drive away, as if a prowling hunting predator had found another trail to follow.

"Get Kim home, now." Kim had never heard Cleo sound so angry, Miriam only nodded at her big sister's order; she started the car and drove. If she took to the roads as if they were to be made into a maze, Kim said nothing, for Miriam got her home safely and there, she knew without it being told that there they would stay.

"How much do you think he could have heard...?" Rikki wondered, Cleo locked eyes with Emma, and Elliot was cold with realization – Sean Marshall, whoever he was, had been _right there_ when Elliot had blurted it out, that they were going to Mako Island. He felt like an idiot. And then…Cleo had called Lewis, spoken with Jess...Rikki's question could have the worst kind of answers.

"Anything…everything…" Cleo sounded pained; looking down at the cell phone in her hand as if had betrayed her.

"What do we do?" Emma asked softly, resting a hand reassuringly on Elliot's shoulder as if she knew how bad he had messed up and how bad it felt. For better or worse, Ash answered her.

"You can't go to Mako Island now." Ash sounded final on it, frowning. They knew the truth when they heard it – it was too dangerous. Just as there was no way of knowing how much Sean Marshall had heard, there was also no way of knowing how much he had already, always known.

Their identities, their very lives were in danger if they stayed or went. Either way, Sean Marshall represented that unknown. He could keep whatever he knew to himself, or worse by far…tell. They had to be here to guard the secret. They couldn't go or be in two places at once; separated they were weaker, more vulnerable.

"I'll go, keep an eye out." Emma, after sharing a glance with the other two girls, nodded in agreement to Ash's words. If worse came to worse… there was always another New Moon after a month's wait. Neither Cody nor Julia would like it, but for safety's sake they would abide by it.

If Sean Marshall had still been watching, he would have seen three girls driving home, one with her little brother.

Ash stayed behind in the parking lot, in his car - and only after he was sure no one was watching him, that no one could overhear him on his cell, he made a call.

"Sean, its Ash…yeah, it worked – they're out of the way, staying home for the New Moon. I'll meet you on Mako tonight." Just as Ash Dove was supposed to, he drove to the docks, and was met by Sean Marshall: who had been trialing his aunt Julia Dove and her son Cody _Griffin_ for almost ten years.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

A single phone call had ruined Lewis's night. It echoed in his ears, with the rush of his pounding pulse.

 _"Lewis, look, it's Cleo; Miriam just drove up with Kim in the backseat. They say they came from the Marine Park. There was someone named Sean Marshall there, looking for you and Jess. Do you know anything about him, about why_?" They'd thrown together something to eat, salad and salsa and chips and dip with chicken.

"Sean Marshall?" Lewis had parroted it, and Cody had inhaled as if it wasn't a name, but a scent, he'd turned a look on Lewis like he was prey. Lewis had gone pale with fight, freezing in its grip, his instincts screaming _danger_ and _predator_.

That look wasn't for Lewis, he realized, as Jess motioned for the cell phone, without a word, slowly he passed it over. Cody watched that phone as if it was a mouse, he was a cat prepared to pounce.

Pounce was such a silly word, Lewis thought, it didn't suit that look.

Rending, tearing, bleating, bleeding…Lewis swallowed, feeling as if his mouth was dry and it would never be normal.

"Cleo? This is Jess." Jess didn't look at Cody as he spoke, and that was the key to overcoming that stare, Lewis realized distantly. Jess breezed by that look as if it was normal…maybe it was. It didn't stop it from being terrifying.

Lewis heard Cleo's voice, replying, and realized that Jess had put her on speaker phone.

" _Oh, hello Jess_ …" Cleo sounded a little surprised at the urgency of Jess's tone, or that Lewis had passed her over to him without warning.

"Did you say Sean Marshall?" Cody snarled the words, but Jess wove at him for silence.

"… _yes, Sean Marshall, that's right_ …" Cleo confirmed it, and Lewis looked to Zane, who sat still – staring at Cody as if he didn't know what to do about him. Lewis was only glad he was not the only one so spooked.

"Cody and I knew him in high school – he was Cody's rival in swimming…this is bad news." Lewis was surprised that Jess sounded so calm, organized. Like he knew what it meant, what this Sean was doing.

"… _right_ …" Cleo sounded hushed, surprised at how calm and serious Jess was taking this.

"Stay clear of him, Cleo. Tell the girls that, there is no telling how much he's guessed over the years – how much he really does know and have proof of. You must be careful, ok?" Jess finished, looking to Cody, who shook himself out of that staring look of a predator with Jess's eyes upon him. It was clear that Cody didn't want Jess to think of him as that dangerous.

" _Okay_ … _thanks_." Cleo hung up, and Jess stood up.

"We've got to move, now – if we're going to Mako Island, we go now, clear?" Jess demanded of Lewis, of Zane. Each nodded in turn when Jess looked at him. It was in the silence of his announcement, of that one phone call that had turned their sleep over celebration into something else with far more solemnity and somberness that Lewis realized – their lives were changed, forever. They could never go back – never risk being less, or more then what they were at the end of the New Moon tonight.

Cody was already headed to the ship tied to the private docks that were in Zane's backyard; the rest could do nothing but follow in the footsteps he left in the sand.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

"Jess, you might want to come up here and take a look at this – I think he's already here." Zane called, not sounding surprised. Jess looked – but it was Lewis who recognized who stood beside a stranger he'd never met, but remembered seeing once or twice in what he'd thought to be coincidence.

"I don't believe it - that's Ash!" Lewis was hurt, and it showed in his tone of voice. Zane grit his teeth and wished he could have spared Lewis this betrayal of his trust.

"Let's go see what they want." Jess suggested, putting a hand on Lewis's shoulder in comfort. Zane knew it would be a cold comfort to Lewis: that he stood surrounded by friends, those who he could trust, and who trusted him in turn – yet faced one who had broken that faith. Lewis would have to tell Emma and the rest of the girls of this, whatever happened here.

They came ashore, and not alone for Julia straddled sand and sea, staring at Ash as if she knew him.

"Mother…?" Cody asked of her, soft but insisting an answer to his inquiry. The power was there, like a current beneath the waves. She simply stared and shook her head.

"Well, well, fancy meeting you out here. What, if you mind my asking do you think your doing, besides breaking Emma's heart?" Lewis demanded of Ash, having eyes only for him. Zane had kept at his side, determined that Lewis would not meet him alone. In making this friendship, in trusting Ash, they had both failed.

"You could call it that." Sean Marshall mused, with a smirk.

"Or you could call it what it is, a reunion of sorts." Ash interrupted, with a glare at Sean.

"Oh?" Jess asked, keeping to Cody's side. Cody's eyes flicked between his mother and Sean, frowning.

"Oh, _yes_. Do you have any idea how hard it's been to keep track of you? Let alone to _find_ you..?" Sean asked of Jess, stepping forward. He stopped abruptly at the look Cody gave him. He put his empty palms forward, swallowing.

"I don't know what you think I'm doing here, Cody – but I haven't done anything to earn that look." Sean sounded hurt, and stepped forward again, slowly coming closer to Jess step by step. Jess looked to Cody but stood his ground.

"Stalking us isn't a crime where you come from?" Zane asked, with a sarcastic sneer.

"Stalking implies following, we got here first, didn't we?" Sean spoke up, throwing the comment over his shoulder at Ash.

"Only because you followed my friends, you knew by _stalking_ them." Lewis insisted, looking to Jess who frowned at Sean's slow approach.

"It was perfectly legal, looking up where Dr. Jess Wheatley worked, going there – pure coincidence that I saw Cleo's little look alike. If I followed, it was partly to be sure she got home safely." Sean spoke so smoothly there was no telling if it was truth, lies or excuses he used: or if he believed what he told.

"How do you know what Kim looks like?" Lewis asked, soft, Zane knew that when Lewis spoke softly he was truly upset, when he whispered his control was spent.

"I showed him pictures. He had to know who was who." Ash spoke up, as if in Sean's defense. Sean grimaced at the obviousness of it.

"Why?" Cody demanded of Sean, staring at him as if he wanted to know how he looked inside out.

"Simply put, Cody, I'm looking out for a friend. I knew you before you knew Jess, and you're…not yourself now. You're a danger to him, to them." Sean clearly didn't like saying it, but he also wouldn't lie to Cody. He would be able to smell it on Sean. Cody stepped forward, blocking Sean from the sight of Jess, putting himself between the two.

"Why, Ash?" Lewis inquired, his piercing gaze looking to both Sean and Ash, settling on neither of them.

"I didn't want them hurt. Julia's my aunt; Cody's my cousin – this is a reunion of sorts, like I said. My father entrusted to me what Julia was …he had kept her secret to the grave, to keep them safe. But they…aren't safe." Ash struggled to put what he'd seen into words that would warn them that this was right: that his breaking of their trust was worth it.

"Emma isn't safe, the girls aren't _safe_ , is that what you're trying to say?" Lewis hissed, and Zane looked to his features, pale and pinched with pain. Lewis and he would have to tell Emma about this, Zane realized, and it would hurt her – hurt a friend Lewis held dear, who he had protected the longest.

"No, that isn't it Lewis – don't you see? The girls, they have us to help them protect themselves, to protect those around them – but Julia…and Cody…they don't. They're wild; they're something else now; something beyond human." Ash's fingers opened and closed, as if he was reaching for something to hold onto, to support himself with. It wasn't easy for him to face Lewis and Zane like this – they saw it, and that it didn't make it easy should have told him it didn't make it right either.

"You're wrong you know. They've had me." Jess spoke out from behind Cody's body. He would defend them, Julia and Cody… even when it was obvious that he was being defended from Sean's approach.

"They are putting us all in danger: in danger of losing our humanity, in danger of our lives!" Sean crunched his teeth, knowing from the cold look in Cody's eyes and Jess's silence that he'd gone too far.

"Is it so bad, not being…human?" Julia spoke, her voice dry as the sand she sat her tail fin upon. She was both beautiful and frightening.

The silence after her words was full of waves washing upon the shore.

"We all have to face changes." Lewis said softly, looking to Jess.

"You don't!" Ash gestured to Julia, frowning. "Do you think she's happy? I won't let you do this to your life Lewis! Just because of one of _them_ wanting it…"

"What have you done?" Julia asked, soft as the night that had approached as they spoke.

"We've made sure you can't make this mistake. I was too late once before, I won't be again." Sean's voice was full of sorrow, his eyes upon Cody.

"Sean…" Cody shifted uneasily on his feet. It was clear to him that Sean and Ash would not let them pass, they were rather prepared to spend the night standing here.

"It's our choice, Ash. Isn't that our freedom too? To choose to be human or not…we've made that choice, for better or worse. That's apart of being human, too, isn't it?" Zane asked knowing that their time for talking was running to an end.

"Your choice or not, you can't go into the moon pool. You can't get in it." Cody sneered, eyes flashing.

"If the surface way is closed – there is another way, if that is their will." Julia spoke, smiling. She offered her hands to Lewis and Zane.

"If you would choose the sea beneath the waves, come away with me." Lewis sent Zane an almost reckless smile, and they took her hands as she slipped beneath the surface of the waves, sliding her tail along the sand as a serpent might, moving swift and sure.

Cody looked over his shoulder to watch them go, keeping Sean and Ash from following until it was too late to stop them. Jess smiled and put a hand on Cody's back, tilting his head toward the sea.

"Let's go." Jess urged, needing no asking. Cody took the hand Jess had offered in his touch and went with him into the waves. His legs slipping away with the wet, it was Cody who looked back – not Jess – at the two left standing on the shore, looking lost and lonely.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Wherefore three maids the moon pool had shined and bubbled with the full moon's light, for the three youths that swam to the surface – it was still and eerily silent. Much is said of mermaids and the moon; that the moon is the god or goddess of mermaids, or that mermaids are the daughters of the moon…but it is shone in truth what ties tritons to the turn of the moon's dark face.

The shallow sea pool became a whirlpool, swallowing them down to the depths of the sea pool where darkness and death could have taken them. What would have been death became the cradle of a new life, for when they swam to the surface, gasping, it became laughter, for they too had tails and fins.

They swam all that night, splashing in the sea – but morning's light found them returned to the shores of Mako Island.

Ash and Sean had waited at that cove, watching over the ships.

Where the waves lapped at the sand, Jess slept in Cody's protective embrace, the tide was low and soon sand and sun would dry them and leave them with legs. Cody did not sleep, but watched over Jess and Zane and Lewis who laid not too far away, tails twined together.

Sean stood nearby, but Cody pretended not to see him.

"I thought he was lost, you know? Years ago you took him away…and now he's found, and isn't…it isn't the same." Sean was careful to come not too near, well aware of what Cody could do if he chose. He remembered how fast Cody had swam, how fierce his once friend had become – it had been frightening, and the only one who hadn't been afraid now slept at Cody's side.

"None of us will ever be the same, Sean – we grew up, with growing comes change, but it…it isn't always bad." This Cody had learned at a hard cost, for it was a lesson Jess had had to teach him. Something he had not really believed, until this morning.

"I was always jealous of how good you had it, Cody…with Sam, and…Jess, well he is a better friend then I ever was. You took them all away, and left me…." Sean didn't say it, it was a old hurt that still ached and he was stubborn. Cody had missed him, had feared him, but Sean had once been his friend.

Maybe they could be again, and all that had changed between them, what they were now and had been then – hadn't changed that.

"Will you stand beside us?" A slow, almost thoughtful, nod was all the answer Cody had need of.


End file.
